How Long Love?
by cousin D
Summary: FINISHED! D loses the person most precious to him and only patience will reunite him with his treasure. Crossover with Star Trek the Next Generation. Warning for Leon's bad language.
1. The end

Note: This is a shonen-ai (a very soft yaoi). Petshop of Horrors crossover Star Trek the Next Generation  
  
HOW LONG LOVE?  
  
Chapter 1: The end  
  
D-  
  
We sell love, hope, dreams, and happiness. Why can't I buy my own happiness?  
  
It was December 14, 1999 at three o'clock in the afternoon when my beloved was murdered.  
  
For less than twenty-two dollars he was shot point blank in the chest and left to bleed to death on the floor of my petshop.  
  
It was my fault.  
  
"Leon, may I ask a favor." D said, walking into the Petshop's kitchen where Leon was standing at the stove, doing his best not to burn the rice for dinner. It was an amusing, warm domestic scene and D had despaired of ever seeing Leon like this. "I need to go out for just a little while, would you watch the shop for me?"  
  
Leon looked over his shoulder and scowled as he grumbled irritably, "You know, D, I AM on vacation. I don't want to work." Even as he said this, he turned back to the stove. "Where's Chris, anyway? I thought he was gonna eat lunch with us."  
  
'Hee, hee. That's Leon. He refuses to move in with me, yet he acted like we are were married half the time and sleeps on my sofa many nights. Oh! I shouldn't think like that! Leon would have a fit if he knew I thought of him in such a way, not to mention what Sofu would do!' Their relationship, as strange as it was, had come a long way since the first day they'd met. D had never felt as content as he had lately. As much as Leon tried to hide it, he really was a very kind person.  
  
"Chris is out at the playground. Do not worry, I sent Tet-chan with him to protect him." Tet-chan was D's sweet little Tou-Tetsu (Imagine a sheep with a man's face, talons, BIG teeth, and a very nasty disposition) and a very good guardian for Leon's young brother. Tet-chan was not only a fiercely loyal and devoted to keeping nine-year-old Chris out of mischief, but he was one of D's most cherished pets. Not everyone could say that they have a Tou-Tetsu, after all. You could say that he was the pride of D's collection. "He promised to be back in time for lunch." Well, Tet-chan promised to have Chris back, anyway.  
  
Pon-chan, the dear young raccoon, was sitting on the kitchen counter next to Leon while he cooked. She was such a cute little thing, long blonde curls and a dimpled smile. If only Leon could see D's darling little pets as D saw them. Leon saw only a small raccoon sitting on the counter next to the stove where D and Chris saw the little girl with blonde curls, dressed in a pink, lacy dress.  
  
"That's great. I think this is almost done." Leon looked at Pon-chan with a slight frown. "Get down, Pon-chan." He said, picking her up and setting her down on the floor. "You're going to get burnt sitting so close to the stove. D, you shouldn't let your pets run free, you know. Pon-chan's just a baby. She doesn't know to stay away from fire."  
  
Pon-chan looked slightly insulted and planted her little hands on her hips. "I'm not a baby, Count!" She insisted cutely. Leon couldn't hear her words and just went on cooking. Leon knew, or at least suspected, that there was something 'different' about D and his petshop, but he didn't know what, exactly. Leon was one of those amazing people who could ignore what he didn't understand and since he didn't understand certain facts about the petshop, he just overlooked them and went on with life. "I'm big enough to keep away from fire."  
  
"Now, now." D petted Pon-chan's hair, soothingly. "Our Leon is just trying to keep you safe, you know."  
  
Pon-chan sulked, but nuzzled against D's hand as he'd expected her to. "I know, I know." She scowled at Leon with irritation. "I wish he'd just open his eyes!"  
  
D resisted a smile. If, one day, Leon ever did open his eyes and see what had been going on under his nose all this time, he'd probably be very angry. Perhaps it was better that Leon live in ignorance. "Be a good dear and go play." D told Pon-chan just before he smelled what Leon was cooking in the pan next to the rice. It nearly sent D's stomach heaving. "Leon, what...what are you..." D stepped closer to the stove and saw with horror what Leon was cooking to go with the rice. "LEON!!!"  
  
"What?!" Leon shouted back, defensively.  
  
"You killed that fish!" D yelled, picking up a plate from the table and threw it at Leon. That murderer! All humans were the same! "How could you?!" D searched frantically for something else to throw at Leon. Something that would hurt. Badly.  
  
Leon dodged the thrown plate, only just, and immediately went onto the defensive, using a sauce pan lid as a shield. "Christ, D!" He yelled. "Knock it off. You don't have to eat it, it's for me and Chris. He's a growing boy and needs meat, you said so yourself."  
  
D didn't throw the chair at Leon and was very proud of himself. "Very well." D set the chair back down and took a deep breath. "For Chris I'll over look the murder of that poor, helpless, innocent, child which you murdered without a single remorseful thought."  
  
"You know," Leon grunted, turning back to his cooking. "For someone who wanted a favor when he walked in, you sure are pushing your luck."  
  
A favor? Oh, yes. "Now, Leon," D said, putting on his most pleasant smile and moving to stand next to Leon. "You wouldn't hold my sensibilities against me."  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
D leaned his head against Leon's shoulder and Leon froze, his eyes going wide. 'He's so cute when he's afraid!' D just loved the wide eyed look that over came Leon when he was thrown into a situation he didn't know how to deal with. It was hard to resist teasing Leon. "Please? I just want to go down to the tailor. I commissioned a new outfit and it should be ready today. It will only take about twenty minutes."  
  
Leon cautiously turned his head and looked down at D, still nervous that D was leaning against him. He began inching away from D to a more comfortable distance, but D couldn't resist the temptation and slipped his arm though Leon's. 'I can smell his sweat. Deep and musky, what a lovely smell.'  
  
D stepped closer to Leon, making him back up so far that he backed into a wall and had no further space to run. Leon stared down at D, still holding a wooden spoon in one hand and his mouth having fallen open. He looked...delicious. So sweet and tempting. Without really thinking of the consequences, D reached up and stroked Leon's cheek, running his fingernails down Leon's delicate skin. 'Leon often compares me to a china doll, but he's the one who is so fragile and breakable, surreally beautiful with his dark tanned skin and fair hair.'  
  
"Don't you want me to look pretty, Leon? I need my new outfit. It's just for a few minutes. Please?" Again D ran his fingernails down Leon's freshly shaven cheek, just admiring the so human body.  
  
"You have got to be the vainest guy I've ever met, D." Leon said, swallowing hard and giving an obviously forced laugh. What he was thinking at that moment, D had no idea, though he could make a pretty good guess from the blush on Leon's cheeks.  
  
D moved away, giving Leon room to catch his breath and relax. It is perhaps fortunate that Leon was so reluctant to respond to D's flirting. 'If he stays away from me, I won't have to be hurt. Sofu tells me to stay away from Leon. Sofu says that Leon will hurt me and perhaps he is correct. I do not think Leon would hurt me willingly. But...in the end...'  
  
Q-chan kreeled loudly, flying into the kitchen and landing on D's shoulder, a constant reminder not to get to close to Leon. Q-chan's talons dug into D shoulder and D petted him to soothe him. "Hush, Q-chan." D muttered, though he was careful to keep his tone respectful. Q-chan's current state might be cute and almost comical, but it wouldn't be prudent to offend him. "I don't know why you think I'm vain, Leon. I just want to look nice. If you'd take my advice about your appearance you could..."  
  
"Look like a prettied up girl? Start wearing a dress to work and go shopping for perfume?" Leon interrupted with a crude laugh, no doubt to reassure himself. "Thanks but no thanks. I'd like to look like a man, if it's all the same to you."  
  
'Hrumph! My chegeosms' are not dresses and he KNOWS that!' Now that his good mood was gone, D huffed and tried to speak as politely as he could. "Will you mind the petshop for me, please?" Leon made it so hard to have good manners; he could be so aggravating and he doesn't even try! Insulting and irritating and childish and rude were only a few of his unfortunate traits.  
  
It was the please that got him, it worked every time, and, as D had expected, Leon crumbled. Leon grumbled, as he turned back to the stove, "All right, but don't be long. I don't intent to sell anything, not a single one of your damned pets. I'm gonna tell everyone to come back later and YOU can go over contracts with them."  
  
While out shopping, D was suddenly given a look into Leon's mind. Right in the middle of the sidewalk, D froze, his newly bought chegeosm falling to the ground when he realized what he was seeing. A wash of cold fear spread through his body and D saw the events unfold at his petshop as if he were watching two scenes at once, the market around him and the front room of the petshop. Like a window opening, D saw though Leon's eyes for the first time and it wasn't a pleasant look. Somehow, D saw and heard everything as if he were looking through Leon's mind and he could even hear what Leon was thinking.  
  
'Oh, shit.' Leon thought when the gun wielding child walked in. Leon was trying to get Pon-chan to eat when the boy wearing a ski mask entered and aimed his gun at Leon. 'Oh, God! Oh, God!' Out of the corner of his eye, Leon saw Pon-chan run away into the back room. 'At least he won't hurt the pets. Please, let them stay out back. Don't let Chris come home. He's supposed to be home any minute, for once, please let Chris be late. D! D can't come back, he'll get killed!'  
  
Foolish, foolish Leon! D began running back to the Petshop, even as Leon's thoughts and vision overlapped his own, making it hard for D to make his way. 'No mere human can kill me and I won't allow one to hurt Leon, either.'  
  
"Put the gun down." Leon said, his voice far calmer than his panicked thoughts. 'Put it down, put it down, put it down, put it down!' Leon reached slowly to his back where he kept his gun hidden under his usual baggy T-shirt. 'Don't make me shoot you, kid. You can't be more than fifteen, don't make me kill you. I don't want to have any more nightmares.'  
  
D wanted to yell at Leon to kill this human who dared to threaten his life. Don't hesitate, the Earth is covered in billions, trillions of humans. One less would hardly matter.  
  
"Just hand over the money." The thief demanded, his gun steady as a rock. "And put your hands up where I can see them."  
  
Leon did as he was told and D was thankful that Leon wasn't going to try any heroics. "There's only a few bucks, kid. It's not worth the time in jail when they catch you."  
  
The thief didn't move. "Just get the money."  
  
D could feel Leon start to get angry, but he was smarter than everyone thought he was. Leon went to the locked drawer where he knew D kept the money. 'I just want this guy to get out of here. God, make him leave before anyone gets hurt.' Leon was afraid, so horribly afraid. 'I don't want to die. I have to protect Chris and D. I have to make sure Chris gets better and D needs me. I know he does.'  
  
D never would have guessed that Leon spoke to his god so often. 'I have to go faster! I have to get there!'  
  
D continued to watch, though Leon's eyes, as a small white fox crept out of the back room. 'Damn! Ten-chan!' Leon thought, trying to hurry to get the lock undone with his now shaking hands. 'Come on! Open, damn it!'  
  
Pon-chan was frightened, watching from the doorway of the back room, but Ten-chan loved danger and he easily snuck up on the thief. Sweet Ten-chan with his wicked laugh thought he could protect the Petshop. Ten-chan wasn't alone. All of D's dear pets would willingly die to protect our home. Behind Ten-chan D could see Leon watching the cats and dogs silently trying to get closer to our home's invader. Several of the braver birds, the fighting cocks and the hawks, my lizards and even one of the timid swans followed Ten-chan.  
  
It might have worked, too. It almost worked. Ten-chan was only inches away from pouncing on the thief when disaster struck. The door slammed open and our beloved little Chris ran in, completely unaware of what was going on.  
  
"Chris! Get out!" Leon screamed.  
  
The startled thief swung around and fired without thinking, catching Chris in the arm.  
  
Even as Chris fell to the floor, Leon tackled the thief furiously. 'My brother!' Leon thought. 'He killed my brother!' Tears were streaming from Leon's eyes while he struggled with the thief. 'Chris!'  
  
'Oh, Chris.' D felt himself starting to cry along with Leon. Sweet Chris who hadn't spoken in so long because of the cruel words of his family. Chris was as much a part of D's family as he was Leon's and D love him dearly. 'I will do anything to save our little Chris just as I know Leon will kill the man who shot his brother.'  
  
AS they struggled for the gun, the thief was lucky and another shot rang out.  
  
Leon jerked away from the thief with a gasp.  
  
Pain! D felt Leon's pain rip though his own chest and he can't help but stagger, almost falling from the shock. It's only a phantom pain of what Leon's feeling, though, and D quickly regained his feet and was running, nearly flying down the street again.  
  
Blinking down at himself, Leon stared at the growing red stain that spread like a flower blossoming across his chest. Leon's mind numbed and he was suddenly unaware of anything other than the feeling of lightheadedness and the diminishing pain. Leon staggered back a few steps until the wall stopped him and he looked up, seeing what he had never expected.  
  
Leon didn't acknowledge the thief trying to escape. It was a useless attempt, anyway. Tet-chan, enraged that his charge, Chris, had been shot, stood in the doorway in his human shape. He'd obviously been only a few steps behind Chris and too late to save him. Tet-chan looked like a young teenager in baggy silk trousers and a brightly colored vest, with long auburn hair and inhuman eyes. Tet-chan looked from Chris, who moaned in pain on the floor, then up to Leon, and finally to the thief; his eyes filled with murderous rage.  
  
Tet-chan threw himself at the thief with as much strength as he had in his small body. He snarled and bit deeply, his fangs sinking into the boy's chest and blood flew everywhere. The other pets weren't far behind, showing their human forms for anyone to see. The fighting cocks, each with their two curved knives, but most of them with nothing but their natural weapons.  
  
The thief was ripped into pieces within seconds by my dear pets. He'd managed to get off one shot, catching Ten-chan in the arm, but that was it. The pets, never to let fresh meat go to waste, began to eat the remains of the invader.  
  
Leon saw, but he said nothing as it happened. He fell, sliding to the floor when his legs gave out, with his back against a wall. For the first time, he saw. He understood. Leon knew what had been happening under his nose all this time.  
  
'The pets...they...' D could feel Leon's thoughts fading, his body weakening. 'They...I never guessed.'  
  
D arrived in time to see Tet-chan holding Chris, cuddling him as a nanny would hold her wounded baby. There was nothing left of the thief but a faint stain on the floor and the pets, still in their human forms, waited for D tensely. They'd tried to help Leon, but it was to late.  
  
Leon was barely alive when D found him, still leaning against the wall, unable to move. Less than twenty minutes had passed since D had left him alone in the Petshop and there he was, with blood pooled around his still body and staring up at my ceiling. Leon was still wearing his cooking apron, the one that said, KISS THE COOK, and had a picture of a big red lipstick kiss. So tacky and tasteless that it was just Leon's style.  
  
"D." Leon looked up at D with blood drizzling out of the corner of his mouth. "D. A...thief...here..."  
  
It was such a pitiful effort to even speak that D was heartbroken to even look at Leon. He didn't waste a moment before he ran to Leon and knelt by his side. "Hush." D couldn't quite manage a smile and felt his eyes burning. Kami did not cry easily and D felt a distant horror that he cried now. He shouldn't be showing such emotions, such terrible displays of weakness. "My Leon, you've been hurt. You must lay still." D ran his fingers through Leon's hair and wished desperately that there was something he could do to stop what was inevitable. There was no hope. Even as he leaned over Leon and spoke comforting words, D could feel the life being drained from Leon and spilling onto the floor.  
  
"Chris?"  
  
Though in pain, Chris was alive and would, physically, recover. His little face, no longer looking as innocent as he had just a few minutes ago, was staring with a wide-open mouth. He was breathing hard and his fingers clutched onto Tet-chan's arm. Leaning against Tet-chan's chest, Chris let himself be held in his friend's safe arms. Chris watched with his teary, confused eyes fixed on Leon. The person Chris saw as the bravest, strongest, most heroic person in the whole world, was Leon and the thought that Leon was dying was almost crippling for little Chris.  
  
"Chris is fine, Leon. He will live." Live, yes, but what about the boy's mind? Chris' wound would heal, but there would be other damage to be nurtured and mended.  
  
Leon made a movement that might have been a nod. "Good. D?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm afraid." Leon's voice was raspy and soft as he gasped out the words.  
  
"Why?" With all of D's power over life, even he could not stop this. D stroked Leon's hair again and took as much of the pain from Leon as he possibly could so that his end would at least be peaceful. "There is nothing to be afraid of. You will have an adventure, a grand adventure. I have never been where you are going. I..." D choked and struggled to speak. He had to be strong for Leon's sake. "I wish I could go with you." That would never happen. Kami did not die as humans did and they certainly did not share the same fate after death. "I want to go with you."  
  
Leon let out one tear, as his eyes grew misty. "I don't want to die, D. I don't want to leave you."  
  
"You will always be in my heart, my love." It was the first time D had ever said it, verbalized what he'd felt. Too late. D's hands were starting to shake as he felt Leon's life ending. Time was running out so quickly and D could feel it as surely as any human could feel sand slip though their fingers.  
  
One of Leon's big hands slowly reached up and came to rest on D's. "Chris...D, take care of Chris. I never...was a very good brother for him."  
  
"Chris will never want for anything, my Leon." D promised. "He will be my beloved brother as he is yours."  
  
Leon managed to focus his eyes on D. "Smile, D. I...I want to see you smile."  
  
"I do not believe I can." 'How can I smile?! I can not even stop myself from crying! He can not ask that of me!'  
  
"Please..."  
  
For him, D forced a smile and Leon sighed, closing his eyes. "Just wanted to see you smile again." With that, Leon's eyes closed and his body went limp in D's arms. His spirit fled, leaving nothing behind but the empty shell.  
  
He was gone.  
  
Chris clutched onto Tet-chan's vest before throwing back his head in a silent wail. Chris hadn't spoken in so long and now this newest trauma was likely to destroy him. Tet-chan held onto Chris, rocking him back and forth with a gentleness even D didn't know he had.  
  
All around them, D's pets made up for Chris' lack of voice and burst into cries of rage and grief that shook the very Earth. Their cries were deafening and echoed by the hundreds of pets that had not come out of the back room.  
  
D bent forward and lay his forehead on Leon's. Leon was so cold already.  
  
'It's all my fault. I should die for what I've let happen to Leon.' Leon was the best of all humans, of all creatures that have walked the face of this planet! He'd died for money. For worthless pieces of paper that had no real meaning. There was no reason for his death. No reason at all.  
  
The cries of the grief stricken pets stopped so abruptly that it made D look up to see what had silenced them.  
  
"Do you see, my little one? Do you see what this human has done to you?" Sofu stood before D looking down from under his hooded cloak. He bent down and put his hand on D's head, as he used to when D had been a child. "How weakened you are because of one death." His voice was filled with pity for D, not for Leon who'd lost his life or for Chris who'd lost the most important person in his life. "You should have run from this human. How terrible it is that our family is so cursed with love for humans. First your papa and now you."  
  
"I am not my papa, Sofu." D told him firmly. "I will not lose myself."  
  
"And what shall you do, my grandson? Will you let his spirit go? Will you lose yourself in grief and remorse? Humans are as beautiful as any animal on this world, but they are by far the most dangerous. They lure us to them with their fragility and their capacity for evil as well as good. Like moths to flame, we can not resist them."  
  
"I tried to resist him, Sofu. I truly did."  
  
A shriek caught my attention and I looked up to see one of my pets. A most rare and wondrous creature, as remarkable as the ki-rin. The phoenix, with its plumage of fire, soared toward us, circled over Leon only once before it flew out the door and was gone.  
  
"It is decided." Sofu said with dreadful finality in his voice. "For love of you, the phoenix has chosen to revive your Leon. But you will wait."  
  
"How long, Sofu?"  
  
He didn't answer. Perhaps he was just lost in his own memories. "We can not resist them long. Your Leon, your papa's love, and my own dearest Alex." D could hear the pain in his voice, even after all this time since Alex had died. "We are cursed to live while our beloved's die. They are mortal. Nothing more and even we can not change them." Sofu sighed and shook his head. "How I wish we could change them...or ourselves." With that, he was gone. Simply vanished.  
  
D was left with Tet-chan trying to comfort Chris, Pon-chan looking after Ten-chan, and Leon was dead. But not forever. He could find comfort in that, at least.  
  
He will return.  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Sleeping

HOW LONG LOVE?

Chapter 2

D-  
D stood and walked away from Leon's body, the shell that remained of who Leon truly was. That part of Leon no longer mattered to D. He knew that Leon would be returning one day, but there was something he had to take care of now.

Chris was mute, unable to speak for almost a year now. Since before he'd come to live here with D and Leon, Chris had not been able to find his voice. That was another story. Though Chris' mouth was open in a soundless scream, Tet-chan and D could clearly hear his mournful cry. It was something like telepathy, but not exactly. It was as good a word as any. Chris and the pets could understand each other's speech for the same reason that Chris could see their true forms. He was innocent and needed them. Leon used to have the same ability, though he didn't even know it. Most humans grew out of the ability as they grew up.

-He's dead!- Chris wailed, clutching Tet-chan's brightly colored silk vest. -My brother! My brother-  
Tears streamed freely down Chris' face and his mouth was open in a silent scream of anguish. The poor child had been turned away from the rest of his family and now his only blood relative who loved him was dead.

"Shhh." Tet-chan stroked Chris' hair as gently as his clawed fingers would allow and held Chris on his lap. Tet-chan, as much as he loved Chris, didn't know what do to with his armful of a crying child. He'd only just gotten used to being a baby-sitter for the young human, this tragedy wasn't something he'd been prepared to deal with. Tet-chan looked at D desperately, even as he held one hand over the wound in Chris' arm and tried to comfort him. "It'll be all right, Chris."

-He killed Leon!-

D held out his arms and Tet-chan gratefully tried to hand over his teary burden, but Chris wasn't so willing to let go of his protector and held onto Tet-chan as tightly as he could. In the end, D sat on the floor and helped to comfort Chris the same was Tet-chan was, by simply petting him and whispering words of reassurance. "Oh, my poor little Chris." D said when Chris was finally starting to calm down, exhausted by his own hysterics. "You must not upset yourself so."

Chris looked up at D with a horrified expression of betrayal. -Leon's dead! Don't you care?-

It made D's heart hurt to hear such a tone in Chris' voice. "I care very much, but Leon is not gone."

Chris looked over D's shoulder at Leon's body and then back to D. He started to shake and D knew that Chris was nearing a break down. Even his mind voice, the only voice he'd had since he'd learned that he'd killed his mother, was chaotic and noisy. He couldn't think straight enough to speak even with his mind.

"My little one, Leon will come back to us. He is just going to be away for a little while." D began to stroke Chris' face, running his long fingers down Chris' cheek. He is the mirror image of dearest Leon from his ice blue eyes to his golden hair. "Only his body is dead, not his spirit. You will need to sleep for a short while and when you wake, he will have come back to us."

Chris leaned back against Tet-chan's chest. -I'm not tired. I don't want to sleep. I want to be awake when Leon comes back.- As usual, he had accepted what he was told without question.

D wasn't used to taking no for an answer. This time, when he reached for Chris, the boy came to him willingly and cuddled into my embrace trustingly. D carried Chris away from Leon's body, thinking that there was no sense in making Chris stay in the same room as his brother's corpse, and into the back of the petshop.

For anyone who has never been granted the privilege of seeing passed the front room of the petshop,  
it was almost indescribable. There were two parts of the petshop, basically. The front room was for the customers to roam and shop for their desired pets. Then there was a separation area where D had his parlor; the room where Leon often joined him for tea and sweets, where Chris did his homework, and the place where most customers never passed. Two large red doors that led into the back room. The back room was a simple name for a very complex area. It was simple to D's mind,  
how such a place existed in the tiny area of a Chinatown petshop, but D could never explain it to a human. Their minds weren't designed for such knowledge.

There was a labyrinth of passages and an uncountable number of doors that led into wild rooms.  
There were rooms that held entire deserts and rooms for jungles. There were more human style rooms with beds for the pets that liked that sort of thing and there were rooms beyond imagining.  
Misty and dark or filled with light, a place where a single stairway rose into infinity were a few of the more odd rooms. Among these fantastic rooms were my personal bedchambers and Chris' room.

In all of the Petshop, Chris' room was perhaps the most out of place room. The walls were a bright,  
cheery blue and had airplanes painted in bright yellow. There was a baseball glove on the floor along with several comic books and the bed hadn't been made. It looked like any child's room and most of it had been done by Leon. He'd always felt guilty that he hadn't been able to give Chris more of a home. "I can't do much for the kid, D." Leon had told D when he was struggling to make his hand painted airplanes look as real as possible. "So I think I should do as much as I can." Leon had looked simply adorable with yellow paint on his cheek after wiping his face with one hand.

Leon's own feelings of his inability to raise a child was yet another of the difficulties of D's two favorite humans. Leon was a police detective and a very hard working one. He also was not terribly well paid. That one fact make it almost impossible for him to have Chris live with him. The only home Leon could afford was a one room apartment and he rarely ate well. Leon had a lot of bad habits that he was well aware of and he had his own issues. He believed that he would never be a good parent, though D knew he was wrong. Because he loved Chris, Leon had chosen to have Chris live with D. Not that D minded. Chris is a good boy, smart and responsible. D couldn't want a better child.

D took Chris to his bed and lay him down before examining the bullet wound on his arm. It wasn't terrible, but D would heal it after Chris went to sleep to spare him any pain. Tet-chan, never far from Chris, crawled under the bed. He had always seemed to like being under things, though normally he stayed under the sofa or the coffee table in the parlor. It was almost normal to see Tet-chan's goat form doing that, but in his human shape, it was pretty odd to see his face peering out at you from under the furniture.

-I don't want to sleep.- Chris objected again as D pulled up the blankets around him. -I want to see Leon.-

"I know. But you need to rest and Leon will be a while in coming back." D leaned down and, as he did every night, kissed Chris on the forehead. This time was a bit different. When he kissed Chris, D made him sleep. It was a soft, gentle suggestion and Chris just closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. "Tet-chan."

"Yes, count?" Tet-chan peeked out from under the bed and looked up at D.

D saw that even Tet-chan's eyes looked a bit watery, as if he wanted to cry, but was resisting it. Sympathetically, D held his arms out to Tet-chan. Though Tet-chan looked like a teen-ager, he, like Chris, was only a child and sometimes needed a hug.

All right, so he was man-eating child with very big teeth and a savage disposition. He was still a child.

Tet-chan loved and admired D more than anyone else, and though he didn't want to show weakness in front of him, Tet-chan just couldn't resist the invitation. He crawled out from under the bed and up into D's arms. It was the place he most loved to be, in D's arms, but Tet-chan didn't look much happier.

"Are you sad to lose Leon, too?" D asked, petting Tet-chan's shaggy hair.

"Of course not!" Tet-chan tried to sound tough while he was sniffling, but it didn't work well. "I just wanted to eat that dumb human, you know that, Count. He was stupid and clumsy. He always made a mess anywhere he went and...and..." Tet-chan cuddled into D. "I'm just sad for Chris. He's a good kid and now he has to be so sad."

D didn't bother to contradict Tet-chan. He was almost as stubborn as Leon was. "Chris is going to sleep for a very long time, Tet-chan. While he is sleeping he is going to be completely helpless."

Tet-chan looked at D fiercely. "He won't be helpless, I'll be with him! I'll take care of him."

"But can you do that all on your own?" D asked softly, lazily running a long fingernail down the side of Tet-chan's face. "It may take many years for Leon to return to us. Even you can not stay awake long enough to guard him all of the time. I wish you to chose two to help you guard Chris while he sleeps. I trust you with his life, Tet-chan."

At that, Tet-chan puffed out his chest, almost comically, with pride. "I'll chose Ten-chan and Pon-chan."

D admit to being a bit confused about Tet-chan's choices. Ten-chan was a kitsune, one of the nine tailed fox spirits, and was extremely clever. Where Tet-chan was savage and strong, Ten-chan made up for it with his speed and wits. Ten-chan also had the ability to disguise himself as any other living creature he chose.

D couldn't understand why Tet-chan had chosen Pon-chan, however. "Are you sure about Pon-chan?"

Tet-chan nodded. "Chris trusts her and she's loyal to him. She can keep him company if nothing else and she'll do everything she can to protect him. She can raise an alarm and call one of us, if she needs to. I know Chris would want Pon-chan with him."

D nodded, satisfied. It wasn't as if there was any real danger this deep in the petshop and nothing was likely to get in without D's knowing about it. Still, there was always a chance that something could happen and D was not willing to take the chance of losing Chris as well as Leon.

Time passed.

The Earth, despising stagnation, changed.

While humans continued destroying the only home they had, D's clan, the Kami clan, worked to save it. Setting in motion events that would lead to a change so great that survival was not certain.

The Kami clan of Earth was made up of only three living creatures. Sofu D, D, and then little baby D were all of the Kami that existed on Earth. All three of them were exact copies of each other, except for their eyes and hair. D had one purple eye and one golden eye. His grandfather, Sofu, had golden eyes while his younger brother had purple eyes, as our papa once had. Sofu had his hair trimmed quite short while D's hair nearly reached his shoulders and Baby D's hair was sort of in between.

"I don't like this idea, Sofu." D told Sofu when they all met in the petshop's parlor one evening. At this point, nearly fifty years had passed since Leon's death and Chris' induced sleep. The petshop had remained open for business as usual, though D found much of his pleasure in life had been lost after Leon had died. "To kill so many..."

"We are killing no one, grandson." Sofu corrected D. "I will arrange events that will give humans a choice. They will chose to kill themselves with war."

Baby D, no longer a baby, asked, "What if they don't chose to kill themselves? It's a choice so they might chose another way." Baby D looked as if he was nearly ten, in human terms. He was young enough that he still spent most of his time with Sofu, but old enough that he was starting to develop opinions of his own.

"They will chose what I wish them to chose, little one." Sofu kept smiling at his younger grandson.  
"I am well versed in human nature and I know what they will chose." Then he turned back to D. "I will take baby D with me and we will start this war. No," He said before D could interrupt. "I do not care what you like or do not like. The humans are destroying the Earth and we must stop them. For the good of all the millions of lives, we will sacrifice the humans."

"There must be another way." D insisted, though he already knew what Sofu would answer. Papa D had hated humans as dearly as D love them, but Sofu was indifferent. He refused to give his heart to any animal, human or otherwise.

"You are far to involved with humans." Sofu said in a tranquil tone. "You have given to much of yourself to them to often and it colors your judgment. There is no other way. You will stay here in your petshop and care for the animals. I will send them to you, enough of each species to save the race, if need be.  
This will devastate the Earth and I wish to restock the planet with animals when the humans are finished with their destruction."

"Will you also send me enough humans to restock them if their species is endangered?" D asked, a bit testily. The suggestion that D was unfit to do his duty as a Kami hurt, even if D knew it was true. Sofu didn't trust D to do this. For the good of the Earth, humans needed to have their technology and civilization taken away. If millions or even billions of them died, D shouldn't care. That was the way of the Kami.

But D did care and believed that he always would.

Humans were the most destructive of all animals on Earth and thinning the herd, so to speak, would be good for them in the long run. D couldn't help but worry, what if Leon was reborn only to be killed in this coming war Sofu was planning?

Sofu didn't bother to answer D's question for a long moment. "The humans will be allowed to become extinct, if they are not fit to survive."

And so it was allowed to happened. D kept to himself in the small San Francisco petshop, selling pets to those who would come to him, and seeking out new and wondrous creatures for his vast collection of pets. He had no contact with Sofu or his younger brother for many years while they influenced certain humans into making certain choices.

It was in the petshop that the greatest treasures of Earth were kept. Like the ancient fable of Noah's ark, animals slowly made their way to the petshop where they were given shelter and D protected those who would populate Earth in the coming years.

D never could bear to see harm come to any living creature, and he could not bring himself to help his family bring death to humanity. Oh, he could manage it on a small scale; the customers of his shop who broke their word or mistreated D's beloved pets were the most notable example. It hurt D to hurt any living creature, but unlike Sofu, D had never learned to harden myself to this emotion. D love humanity as surely as he love felines or reptilians or any other of the magnificent, beautiful creatures of Earth.

'I ca not help it. I am Kami. I was created to love Earth and all of her children. I, like the rest of my clan, had been created to protect life, not destroy it.'

The war was a gambol. A chance that none of them liked to take, but one they all knew was necessary. A small conversation between three humans was all it took to start the third world war. It was pure devastation on a global level. There was not a species of animal or plant on the face of the Earth that was left unaffected by the war.

"We had to do it." Sofu D had told baby D and D afterwards to reassure them. "To save the Earth we had to purify it. The humans had caused to much destruction. They do to much damage and we must be fair to all creatures of our world."

Baby D, looking as if he were about the human age of thirteen, left Sofu's side and came to embrace D. "It was awful, Da Ge. There was so much death. It hurt." Baby D was shaking, sounding like he wanted to cry. This was the first time he'd witnessed such a mass of death. "I could feel them all dying. Everything's dying."

"And they will keep dying." D told him as he rubbed his brother's back. "You will have to try to feel the ones who still live." D took his brother's face, an almost perfect copy of his own face, and lifted it so his brother would look at him. "There are many who still live and those are the ones who will give you pleasure with their lives."

"And those are the ones who will revive the Earth." Sofu spoke softly as he watched them. "My dear little ones, we are the guardians of this world. We must not let the pain of a few deaths take us from our work."

Baby D nodded but didn't pull himself away from D. "That's not just a few deaths, Sofu." Baby D said. "We...we killed almost everything."

"No, little one," Sofu corrected, his smile never faltering. "We did not kill anyone. We are Kami. We do not kill. We merely presented the humans with a choice. It was their decision to begin this pointless war."

"But," Baby D continued. "We didn't give any of the other creatures of Earth a choice. Why do they have to suffer and die, too?"

Sofu turned away, keeping his reasons to himself, as always.

"It's not fair." Baby D was suddenly angry and D held him tightly to prevent him from doing anything that he would regret later. Baby D was old enough to understand that Sofu was not one to be made angry, but he was still young enough that he wasn't quite able to control his emotions.

"Nothing is fair." D told him. "But we will survive and the Earth will flourish again. If you had not done what you did, humans would have destroyed the Earth beyond repair. This way is better, in the end. I do not have to like it, but I do understand."

Baby D didn't look convinced and clung to D for a few minutes longer. 'He is so unlike papa.' D thought back to the few memories he had of their papa. Our papa had been quite insane. It was because of papa's death that baby D's life was created.

D shook his head to rid myself of these thoughts. I didn't like thinking about the necessary death of their papa. It had happened long ago, but still hurt.

The plan had worked, thankfully, and Sofu and Baby D had set to work trying to rebuild the Earth.  
The animals sheltering within the petshop were released back to the Earth and given instruction to start breeding as soon as possible.

Humanity, surprisingly, had survived the war. Sofu had decided, after a while, that he would allow the humans to rebuild themselves without interference. "They will be given another chance." Sofu told D. "Just once more, we will see if they are capable of survival." It was in this rebirth of humanity that something...unexpected happened.

"I was not expecting this development." Sofu confessed on one of his many visits to the petshop. The petshop had long since ceased to be a petshop and now merely looked like a small house in the middle of a young forest. "These newcomers are not apart of my plan."

D merely poured himself another cup of tea, knowing that Sofu wouldn't drink any. "What will you do about these intruders?"

Sofu looked at D from under the cowl of his ever-present robe. "You are taking the news of this invasion very calmly."

"Invasion?" D looked up at Sofu with a mildly confused expression. "You make it sound as if we are at war with these Vulcans."

"At war? Do not be absurd, grandson. We are not a people to fight with lower creatures. I am simply curious about why they are here. We were not asked, after all."

D really didn't care. He hadn't been outside the doors of his home in almost seventy-five years and lately had little concerned about what happened outside. What happened outside was the business of Sofu and Baby D. "Why do you not just kill them?" D suggested. "They are not of Earth and as they have come here it is within our rights to do what we please with them." Since these Vulcans were not children of Earth, D had no feelings for them one way or the other. D was content to let them be or kill them. Whatever.

Heaving a heavy sigh that was actually very unlike him, Sofu turned away slightly. "It would cause difficulties with others of our kind. For now, I think I will try to ignore them."

D almost laughed, but wisely held himself in check. "Sofu, perhaps you underestimate humans, again.  
You have described Vulcans to be a highly civilized people. Perhaps they will help humans to regain their civilization."

"Do you think that is so wise an idea? Civilization was what nearly killed Earth in the first place. I was thinking about keeping humans living in caves for a while. It may do them some good."

"Change is unavoidable and desirable, Sofu. Perhaps it is time for humans to grow up a little. Where is my little brother, by the way?" D asked.

Sofu stood up and began to walk out of the petshop. "Hardly little any longer. He is nearly a century old, after all."

And so, while we looked on, watching and waiting for the Earth to rebuild itself, the humans strengthened with help from the Vulcans. Humanity grew and prospered, even going so far as to stretch out into the stars and away from the loving mother that had given them life.

Sofu had been furious, though he didn't show it outright. He did not rant and rave, threatening to destroy all humans as my papa would have done. Instead, he was hard on the humans who would leave our home world. "They chose to leave us and our protection, I will waste no effort on retrieving them." He told D at one time. "They can live or die out there in the empty void they have chosen."

There came a war with a people called Klingons followed by many years of peace and the world seemed to be settling down around the petshop. D had not opened the doors of his home for several centuries when he knew, beyond all doubt, that he should go to the stars that his little humans seemed to love so dearly.

He don't know why, but he had to go.

The Earth no longer needed D as little Baby D, now with the appearance of a twenty-year-old human, had his own petshop in England and was doing very well. He was now known as Count D and D believed Earth and her children were in good hands with the younger Kami.

"Everyone," D said, gathering most of his pets around him one early morning. "I will be leaving Earth shortly." There was a stunned silence as they all watched him with wide, frightened eyes. Some of them were frightened and some looked puzzled, but most just waited for D to continue. "It would be unfair of me to ask you all to come with me, so if you wish to stay on Earth, my younger brother will take you all into his menagerie."

Tet-chan, taking a small break from his guard duty with Chris, stepped forward and spoke for everyone. "We won't leave you, Count. We won't ever leave you."

D's heart could have broken with happiness at that one statement. They had such faith in me that they were willing to follow him away from their mother and into the unknown.

To be continued... 


	3. Dream of Long Ago

Author's note: I am not nearly so familiar with the star trek universe as I am with Petshop of Horrors, so all you die-hard star trek fans will just have to excuse any mistakes I might make. I'm doing my best to make a great story.  
  
WARNING: Reginald Barkley has a potty mouth.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
HOW LONG LOVE?  
Chapter 3: Dream of long ago  
  
A couple of hundred years later-  
Leon- age 10  
  
DREAM-  
  
Leon was dreaming again and he dreamed he was a grown-up. He always knew when he was dreaming, because it always felt more real than real life. In the dream he had his hands stuffed in his pockets and he was looking at a man who was walking in front of him. The man was dressed very fancy in some kind of long robe that irritated Leon, for some reason.  
  
'This is all to much.' Leon thought to himself. 'That tea, that incense.' Leon hung his head and closed his tired eyes as memories of what he'd thought had happened drifted through his mind. He remembered a jungle full of extinct animals and climbing up a tree, just to impress D. Then, in the end, he'd done something wrong, but couldn't remember what, exactly. D had been so angry with him. 'I'm gonna hear it from the chief, tomorrow. Discharging your weapon in a public place while half asleep isn't exactly smiled upon.' Leon wasn't sure what kind of weapon he had, or why he'd discharged it, but he knew he had one. It was because of his job. Just then, Leon looked up and saw that the man he was following was getting ahead of him, threatening to vanish into the night. "Huh? Hey, D! Wait up." He hurried his pace to keep up with the man and some found himself walking just behind the man, D.  
  
Leon always dreamed of D.  
  
"Yes, what is it?" D turned slightly, but kept walking. Even though he turned, Leon couldn't quite make out D's face. He could see a soft smile, but that was all.  
  
Leon stuffed his hands back in his pockets and growled, "Ah...well...ya know...just wanted to say sorry for hitting you before." Even though D had been nearly hysterical with yelling and demanding to know if Leon would eat another person.  
  
D's smile didn't change. "Oh, that. Well, we were dreaming. Don't worry."  
  
"Okay. All right." A dream? 'I guess it was a dream after all.' Just a dream. Not real. None of it was real. Leon watched the back of D's head and the shining black hair. It seemed real. Leon could even feel the moisture of the night's fog on his face. It seemed very real.  
  
END DREAM-  
  
Leon woke up in the bed he'd been given and remembered where he was. The children's home, one of the many homes he'd had in his life. As an orphan, Leon had been shifted around from home to home in the vain hopes that he'd find someplace where he'd fit in. It had never happened and Leon felt sure he would be drifting around like this for the rest of his life.  
  
It was unthinkable that in this modern day and age the Federation would forget any child, even though Leon wished that he would be forgotten about. Maybe if people would stop bothering him, he'd be able to finish dreaming. Maybe he'd finally see the face of the man in his dream.  
  
Leon Barns was ten years old and had lived all his life in children's homes just like this one. For one reason or another, they always ended up moving him to another home; usually it was Leon's fault. He got into fights to often and everyone thought he was just to violent to handle. They were good places and Leon appreciated having a roof over his head and plenty of food to eat and Leon felt sure he should be more grateful for what he had in life. Long ago, Leon had learned in history lessons, he'd have been just tossed aside. The modern world didn't work like that. The Federation saw to the well-being of everyone, even orphans.  
  
Once Leon was dressed in the standard clothes all the children were given, a one piece jumpsuit of brown and green, Leon left the dormitory room and went down to sit on the front steps of the Children's Home. He didn't bother with breakfast or finding out what classes he had, it didn't really seem important. Instead, Leon sat with his chin in his hands and his elbows on his knees, watching the world go by.  
  
All of his life, Leon had felt alone. No matter how many other people were in the crowd around him, Leon couldn't help but feel lonely. It had always seemed as if someone was missing and it wasn't unusual for Leon to spend hours watching the people walk by, looking for that missing someone.  
  
Of course it these few moments of peace never lasted long and soon Leon noticed someone standing next to him. She was middle aged, about fifty or so, with long hair and that was all that Leon could really notice. She was just another person, one of many who passed through his life, trying very hard to do the right thing for him.  
  
"I don't suppose you remember me, Leon. I'm Ms. Landburg. I'm here to take you to the new home." She smiled brightly. "It's time to go in just a few minutes."  
  
Leon did remember her and the interview when she'd arrived and asked many questions, like all the social workers did. How did he feel and what did he want to do with his life? Why had he gone into the woods?  
  
"Whatever." Leon answered, turning back to the few people who passed by. Thanks to the transporter technology, very few people actually spent time walking anymore. Why should they bother when it was more efficient to just beam directly there. Of course, that way, few people saw the beauty of Earth. It seemed like such a sad waste.  
  
"Oh, come on, Leon." Ms. Landburg said brightly, sitting beside him on the step. "Have a little more enthusiasm. Think of this as a grand adventure. It's nothing to be scared of."  
  
"I'm not scared." Leon replied, feeling more than a little insulted. Only people who had something to lose got scared. Leon had nothing. He just wanted to be left alone.  
  
A short while later, Leon was led away from the children's home and he didn't care at all. There was not a thing he would miss at there, except the animals. Thinking of that, made Leon look up. Sure enough, there was a large black shape flying high overhead, just above them. Leon smiled.  
  
The crow wasn't the only animal that seemed to be coming to see Leon off. While he walked with Ms. Landburg, Leon watched what was going on around him and knew that he was the only one who saw it all. He was the only one who saw them. There were more people around than normal humans could see. Small, creeping people with sharp eyes and tall, willowy people who seemed to float as they walked around.  
  
"Good bye, Leon."  
  
"We'll miss you."  
  
"Come back to see us soon."  
  
"Keep out of trouble, little one."  
  
Leon had once made the mistake of telling someone about what he saw. That had started most of Leon's problems. Of course no one had believed him and, after that day, they'd thought him deranged or a liar. From that first mistake and on, Leon had resolved to keep what he saw to himself. Instead of answering the people who spoke only to him, Leon just smiled at them and hoped they'd understand he couldn't answer because Ms. Landburg would hear. She couldn't see them and wouldn't understand if Leon started talking to butterflies and chipmunks.  
  
They took a small shuttle half-way around to world to the new place where Leon would be living. It was a nice ride and Leon spent most of his time looking out the window, trying to ignore Ms. Landburg. It wasn't that he disliked her, but it was so distracting to concentrate on two things at once. There were people flying by, stealing glances into the shuttle. They were very beautiful and smiled fondly at him. There was on, in particular, that never left the window of the shuttle, a beautiful lady with very long black hair and skin the color of chocolate. Her eyes were very warm and her smile was bright.  
  
"We're landing, Leon." The voice of the woman made Leon look away from what was happening outside the shuttle and he tried to concentrate on what he was supposed to do. It was hard and at one point, Leon froze, settling into a short dream.  
  
DREAM-  
  
"The human habit of trying to understand the world with a limited knowledge of it is beyond foolish." Delicate white hands were holding a black lacquer box with silver hinges and a silver lock. The voice was soft and sounded like how Leon thought silk should sound, as strange as that might be. It was a good voice, but not kind. The fingernails of the white hands were painted dark purple and Leon stared at those hands, though he wanted to look up at the face of the person.  
  
There was a dragon egg in the box and it was going to be very bad if it hatched in the city. They were trying to get it out of the city, but the man holding the black box was angry about something.  
  
When Leon tried to look at the person's face, Leon's vision blurred and the person was replaced by a glorious bird made out of fire. The bird looked at Leon with terrifying eyes. "Not yet." The fire bird told Leon, its voice was as terrible as its eyes and Leon tried desperately to look away. "Do not be afraid. I am here to watch you. When it is time, you will see him."  
  
END DREAM-  
  
"Leon? Are you even listening?"  
  
"Yeah." Leon focused on the woman and wondered why he was never allowed to see D's face. He knew the man was called D, the one holding the black and silver box with such white hands. "I'm listening."  
  
The woman sighed and shook her head with resignation. "You have to do better, Leon. How are you ever going to live with your head in the clouds?" She reached out and moved to pat his shoulder, but Leon jerked away with a scowl.  
  
"Don't touch me!" He snapped. Leon didn't really like other people touching him. What was so wrong with living in dreams? Leon liked his dreams and it was in his dreams of long ago that Leon felt most...well...whole. In those dreams, it felt as if he weren't missing apart of himself. Those dreams with D, whose face he couldn't quite see...  
  
The woman rolled her eyes, but kept her practiced smile on. "Very well. We really have to get going now." She looked out the window next to Leon. "We're here. Do you have everything?"  
  
What a stupid question, Leon thought. He had nothing. Nothing of importance, anyway. A few pieces of clothes that he could live without. He would be getting new ones at whatever new home he was being taken to, anyway. "Yes." Leon answered shortly. He obediently stood and followed the nameless woman.  
  
Leon dreamed very often and not always when he was asleep. He was haunted by dreams, but he didn't mind. The dreams that came to him in sudden, unexpected bursts were, more often than not, quite nice. He dreamed of a home where he was always welcomed and he dreamed of a family. Though he could never quite make out their faces, Leon knew them and he loved them. It was good, because Leon didn't have a real family to love him. All he had were dreams.  
  
This time the dream had gone as quickly as it had come, but this time Leon was lucky that no one noticed anything. It happened that way, sometimes. He would just black out for a few minutes and then wake up again. Long ago, Leon had tried to tell someone about his dreaming, but everyone thought he was just making up stories. The few people that didn't think he was lying, thought he had some kind of mental problem. After that, Leon kept his dreams private.  
  
HOME FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN  
  
Leon read the sign as he and the woman holding his hand walked passed it and towards the large building. Leon wasn't really paying attention to where they were going. This place would be no different than any of the other Children's Homes.  
  
"Come along, Leon." The woman tugged at his hand to hurry him up.  
  
"What's the hurry?" Leon asked, trying not to be distracted by the things he saw around him. He paused briefly when a butterfly fluttered by and she winked at Leon with her long eyelashes.  
  
"We have an appointment and it would be very rude to be late. The head of this institute is a very busy man and...' But Leon had already tuned her voice out and watched the butterfly fly gracefully into the sky. He wondered why he could see such things when no one else ever could.  
  
Leon let his mind wander while they walked and didn't see anything very interesting in the near future. This place would be the same as the last one. He'd stay in this children's home for a while and then be moved on. Leon had gotten used to it over the years. This was like a set pattern and Leon was very sure that nothing would change.  
  
The children's home was just the same as all the others, from what Leon saw. It was several stories tall and gleaming white in the sunlight, like most other buildings, with a beautifully landscaped garden outside and a playground where about twenty children were playing under the supervision of three adults. Everyone looked happy and well adjusted in the carefully created environment.  
  
Leon just knew he would hate it there.  
  
Stepping on the first step that led up into the building, Leon happened to look down and he had a flashback, a dream, of another set of stairs.  
  
DREAM-  
  
Cracked concrete with weeds and dandelions. A high iron fence surrounding the building that was made of old, crumbling bricks. A quick look at the playground said that it was nothing more than a tarred over square with a jungle gym in the middle of it. He happened to see his shoe and noticed how old it was; falling apart at the seams with fraying laces. It was a grim place and Leon desperately missed his beautiful mom.  
  
END DREAM-  
  
Reality reasserted itself as well-maintained, modern step and Leon saw his own shoe turn into some old fashioned sneaker with untied laces. It was like seeing an image superimposed over reality for a moment, before the dream completely faded and Leon was left with the clean, crisp reality. The only problem was that Leon sometimes couldn't tell which one was real. Leon wondered what would happen if the dream didn't fade away.  
  
"Leon? What's wrong?" The woman was looking at him with a puzzled expression that Leon was used to seeing when people saw him daydreaming. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"Nothin'. There's nothin' to see, right?" Leon lied. He'd learned well enough not to tell anyone about the things he kept seeing.  
  
"Well, don't lag behind." She gave him a smile. "I'm sure you'll like it here. There are so many nice children your own age."  
  
Before they went into the building, Leon took another look at the playground over his shoulder and the children. He was sure he wouldn't like this place. The playground was very well kept, mowed with precision and immaculately clean. The grass was lush and several perfect trees surrounded the playground. 'It just doesn't look...real.' Leon thought. A playground shouldn't be so neat.  
  
Being the modern, child-friendly place that it was, Mr. Goti, the man who sat behind a big black desk, told Leon that he could sit in with the meeting between himself and Ms. Landburg. Apparently, Ms. Landburg was the woman who'd brought him here. After all, this was a meeting about Leon's life so it was for the best if Leon had some input into the choices made. Even if Leon was only ten, it was considered politically correct to let him at least know what was going on.  
  
"Whatever." Leon answered, disinterestedly as he sat in the chair Mr. Goti indicated. The office was meant to look homey and comfortable, painted in warm green colors and soft chairs.  
  
DREAM-  
  
Leon remembered an office with cold tile floors and a woman with her hair tied into a tight bun. He didn't like her at all. The woman had been in another office in another children's home and she smiled just as much as Ms. Landburg did. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Orcot." The woman said. Leon remembered just then that her name was Mrs. Hannis. "Please, take a seat. I'm sorry to call you in on such sort notice, but I need to tell you we haven't got room at our home for your brother."  
  
Leon frowned. "What are you talking about? My brother lives with our aunt and uncle. They live up in Washington. What's he doing down here?" Leon couldn't think of any reason why his little brother would be in San Francisco.  
  
Mrs. Hannis flushed, embarrassed. "Oh. You don't know? I'm so sorry. I was sure that your aunt and uncle said they'd contacted you already. I'm sure their letter just got lost in the mail."  
  
It only made Leon angrier to think that his aunt and uncle would send him a letter instead of calling him when there was something big involving his younger brother, Chris. "Get on with it." Leon grumbled.  
  
"Yes, well." She looked down at the papers on her desk and shuffled them around as if it calmed her. "Your aunt and uncle thought it would be best to put your brother here for a short time while he waited for a place to open at the institute. It would have only been a few days, but, as I said, there just isn't any room here. I understand the boy's already on his way here and there isn't even a spare bed for him. As his brother, I had thought that you would be able to take custody for him. It's only for a few days, as I said, and..."  
  
END DREAM-  
  
"So, Leon, from what I've been told, you've been in quite a few homes most of your life." His name was Mr. Brannon Goti. Leon knew it because the man had his name engraved on a plaque on his desk. He was short and round with thick, curly hair and bright, shining eyes. Leon didn't like those eyes, so he looked away when Mr. Goti spoke to him.  
  
Leon looked out the window. The sun was starting to set and Leon heard some adult call to the kids that it was time to go inside. Up in the sky, Leon watched small ships take off from the nearby Federation station, no doubt heading up to one of the space stations which orbited Earth. Maybe even to one of the big star ships. It seemed very unnatural.  
  
"We all hope that you'll like living here for as long as you need." Mr. Goti stood up and walked around his desk, circling the room and, with it, both Leon and Ms. Landburg. "There are few rules here and every one we have is for your safety and comfort. You'll find most of the children are very agreeable and the staff will do anything in their power to make your stay happier."  
  
That meant, Leon knew, that they hoped he wouldn't cause trouble while he had to stay there. As the man droned on and asked Ms. Landburg about Leon's history and past, Leon tried not to listen. It wasn't possible and Leon found himself listening even as a large crow landed on the windowsill and locked eyes with Leon. Leon knew it was the same crow that had been following him from the last children's home. She was beautiful and smiled kindly at Leon.  
  
"He's got a good heart." Ms. Landburg said. "Leon's a bright boy, but he's got a few problems. Ever since he was brought to Base 65 children's home he's had problems with the other children. Leon gets into fights, swears, skips class, and ignores the supervisors." She sighed. "I'm afraid all the counselors and therapists they'd had working with him haven't gotten anywhere. I've heard interesting things about the work you're doing here. The treatment of troubled children and their reaction to your treatments has been remarkable. I was hoping that you could work with Leon."  
  
"I see, I see." Mr. Goti said thoughtfully. He looked at Leon, though Leon kept his attention on the crow outside the window. She sat delicately on the windowsill with her legs cross at the knees. "Leon, what do you think about coming to live here?"  
  
Leon shrugged. Where else could he go?  
  
A few minutes later, the meeting was over and Ms. Landburg was leaving. She gave Leon a cheery smile and told him that she wished him luck before leaving him with Mr. Goti. Mr. Goti led Leon down several sparkling white corridors until he came to a door that was shut tight. Opening it without knocking, Mr. Goti called out, "Reginald, are you decent? Ah, there you are. I want to introduce you to your new roommate, Reggie."  
  
"Oh!" The startled exclamation was the first thing Leon heard when he followed Mr. Goti into the room he was going to be sharing while he stayed here. "H-h-hello." Sitting on one of the two beds in the room was Leon's new room mate. The first impression of his roommate wasn't a very good one. This boy looked far older than Leon by a few years. He was tall and lanky, reminding Leon of a daddy-long-legs spider. His arms and legs seemed almost painfully long and he looked at Leon with a popped-eye expression while holding a book of some kind that he had obviously just been reading. His eyes were very large and almost frightened looking.  
  
"Hi." Leon said shortly, sitting down on the empty bed. He knew the routine by now. Roommate get introduced and told to show Leon the 'ropes'. Roommate then either gets all protective and big brotherly or turns into a jerk. Looking at the anxious teenager, Leon hoped that this time, the mold would break. He didn't really any anything to do with this boy.  
  
"Reginald Barclay, this is your new roommate, Leon Barns. Be a good lad and show the boy the ropes, won't you?" Mr. Goti said in what was probably his best fatherly voice before he left.  
  
Reginald nodded obediently to Mr. Goti, his long fingers twitching and fidgeting nervously on the cover of his book, before the two boys were left alone. "Hi." Reginald managed a watery grin in his attempt to be friendly, but Leon ignored it and went to the single window of the room. Sure enough, sitting just outside the window was the crow he'd seen earlier. It seemed that the crow had been followed Leon his whole life. He really should give her a name.  
  
"There's a replicator in the corner, but its set to only makes clothes. I g-guess they're afraid we'd make something to hurt ourselves w-with." Reginald said, still fiddling with his book. He watched Leon expectantly, perhaps thinking that Leon would say something, but in the end, he turned back to his book and immersed himself in it even as he continued to speak. "They left a rule book on your bed. They're real strict with the rules, so you have to learn them all. Don't break the rules. It's bad if you do."  
  
This was going to be just like the last children's home and the one before that and the one before that one. It was always the same and Leon knew he'd be passed off onto another children's home or institute or something when they figured out he wasn't 'normal' and that there was nothing they could do for him here.  
  
"So," Reginald went on, his voice becoming a dull mumble behind his book. "Do you know what you're h-here for?"  
  
"I'm an orphan." Leon said. He wondered if Reginald always spoke this much and if he'd be able to sneak away into the forest beyond the playground.  
  
"Yeah, most everyone here is." Reginald replied. "But why are you here? What's your problem?"  
  
Leon turned away from the window and scowled at Reginald, or rather, the book Reginald's face was hidden behind. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"HOME FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN" Reginald said, lowering the book just enough for Leon to see his large eyes. "Didn't you read the s-sign outside? What's your 'emotional disturbance'?"  
  
It had something to do with those wild children, not that Leon was going to tell that to Reginald. "There's nothing wrong with me."  
  
"Yeah." Reginald's eyes softened for a minute and there was a terrible look of dark grief in them. "That's w-what they all s-say." His whole body seemed to tense and his fingers tightened around on the book until his knuckles turned white. "It'll be dinner time soon. You have to s-show up for all meal times or you'll get punished. It's a rule." With that bit of advice, Reginald turned his full attention back to the book he was reading, DOCTOR JECKLE AND MR. HYDE.  
  
Outside, the playground was empty of children, at least for a short time. While the children dressed in the uniform of the children's home had all gone inside, Leon watched other children quietly and slowly begin to filter in from the neighboring forest. They were like the ones Leon had always seen before. The wild ones. Children who would run and jump and scream insanely while they played, laughing for no reason and singing songs with words Leon couldn't understand.  
  
The wild ones weren't dressed in normal clothes, but in what looked like rags. Some of them were hardly dressed at all and others wore little more than what looked like fur or leather strapped around their waists. Others were dressed like something out of a faery tale book, in fine silks and jewelry. Their hair was a rainbow of colors, some having black or blonde hair, while others had orange, blue, or green.  
  
Their carefree play called out to Leon. That's what play should be, not something regulated, but wild abandonment. Sometimes, the wild children would look up at Leon and wave at him, beckoning him to join them. They called out to him, but Leon was to far away to hear what they were saying, even if he knew what they wanted.  
  
"I can't." Leon said softly. "I'll get in trouble."  
  
"D-did you s-say something?" Reginald asked in his timid voice, reminding Leon that he wasn't alone. Reginald spoke as softly as he could, half-mumbling and half-stuttering when he did speak.  
  
"No." Leon went back to quietly watching the wild children play. There wasn't any reason to get Reginald involved in what was going on outside. Leon knew no one else would be able to see the wild children. He debated for several moments before he turned and left the room, heading towards the playground. It didn't take much effort to sneak passed the adults who watched the children, but Leon had made a habit of sneaking around where he wasn't supposed to be. He was good at it.  
  
The wild children were all still on the playground when Leon got there, but mostly they ignored him while Leon walked through the playground. It made him feel better just to be around them. They were all so pretty, even the boys.  
  
"Hello." The speaker was the crow, the beautiful black haired woman Leon had seen on the windowsill and following them from the other children's home. "I've been looking for you."  
  
"You have?" Leon asked, wondering if he'd seen her before. "Do I know you?" This was the first time they'd spoken, but Leon had been seeing her for as long as he could remember.  
  
"No, not really. But you will. Are you well?"  
  
"I guess so." Leon answered. They sat together in the grass and the woman looked Leon up and down. "What are you looking at?" Leon asked her. She had funny eyes; bigger than a normal human's and so black that Leon could have fallen into them.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure you were healthy and unhurt. Are you happy?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"There's something missing." But Leon couldn't tell her what. It wasn't parents he was missing, not really. He neither wanted nor need friends so that couldn't be it. A family, perhaps. Didn't all orphans want to find a family? "I feel like something's wrong."  
  
"Don't worry. It won't last much longer. Maybe just a few more years." She smiled, showing off teeth that were brilliantly white against her brown skin. "You've been very patient."  
  
They sat quietly for a long time, watching the sunset over the trees and the children playing. "Who are you?" Leon asked.  
  
"I'm your friend. I'll keep you company until your missing one comes for you. He'll be here soon; I'll lead him to you. He misses you very much. I just wanted to wait until you grew up, first." She winked, playfully. "It'll be much more fun once you're grown up. Trust me."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"You will."  
  
Their peaceful moment was broken when the wild children started to make their way back into the forest and Leon asked, "Where are they going?"  
  
"Home. A human is coming." She looked over to where Leon now saw Mr. Goti heading towards them. "Humans are dangerous so the others keep away from them." She looked at Leon after turning her attention away from Mr. Goti. "You haven't asked me yet, and I was sure that you would. Aren't you going to ask what the others are?"  
  
"I see them all the time." Leon remembered back to previous times when he'd seen the wild children appear in the strangest places. "They don't hurt anyone. I thought they were just kids. Everyone else calls them animals and I found pictures that show what they look like to everyone else. How come I see people and everyone else sees animals?" Leon had seen photographs and illustrations of animals and it was the only reason he knew that what he saw was different from what everyone else saw.  
  
"Because you're special." She reached out and stroked Leon's cheek and, for the first time, Leon didn't mind the touch. "I thought this might make things easier when he finds you. Now I'm not sure and I'm sorry for any problems it's caused you." Mr. Goti was almost upon them and the crow took her hand away from Leon's cheek. "I have to go now, but I'll stay close." She stood up and took a few hopping steps before she took off, flying into the air. "Whatever you do, Leon. Keep me near. I'll make sure nothing hurts you."  
  
"Leon? What are you doing out here, it's dinner time." Mr. Goti was nearly out of breath with the long run he'd had to get to Leon. "Reginald should have told you the rules about staying inside so late in the afternoon. Why don't you go have some dinner and then come to my office when you've finished. I'd like to have a talk with you about your future."  
  
Later that night-  
  
The lights in Mr. Goti's office had been dimmed down very low and Leon sat uncomfortably in a large, plush chair in front of Mr. Goti's desk. He was afraid that he'd fall into a dream and wondered what would happen if he did. Perhaps Mr. Goti wouldn't even notice, few people did. In fact, Leon hadn't fallen into a dream for a few hours, which meant he would probably have one any moment. It would be best to get this meeting over with as soon as possible and get away from Mr. Goti.  
  
"Now then, Leon, I hear you've been seeing things." Mr. Goti steepled his fingers in front of his face and looked intently at Leon.  
  
"No." Leon didn't hesitate with his answer. He didn't care if he was lying or not, telling the truth had only got him in trouble. He'd made the mistake of telling someone about the wild children before and he was sure he wouldn't make that mistake again.  
  
Mr. Goti was not only the president of this children's house, but he was also a child psychiatrist and had heard about what Leon had done at the other children's home. While Leon sat in the chair in Mr. Goti's office, the man looked through Leon's file on the computer screen. "Your last home said you ran away. Did you do that?"  
  
'Stupid!' Leon thought. 'He's looking right at the information. Why's he asking?' "Yes."  
  
"May I ask why?"  
  
Leon turned away and saw a face outside the window. It was one of the wild children, someone younger than Leon with long pink hair that hung in his face. This wild child wore lots of gold chains around his neck and was staring boldly into the room. "Come out and play." The pink haired boy called to Leon. "Come out! Come out!"  
  
"What are you staring at, Leon?" Mr. Goti asked. He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out curiously. "Ah! That hummingbird? It's very pretty, isn't it?" Mr. Goti pointed to the pink haired boy and Leon frowned. "Do you like animals, Leon?"  
  
Leon looked at his lap. He was young, but even he could see where this was leading.  
  
"Did you follow the animals into the forest?"  
  
'He can't even see the boy. He'd never understand.' Looking back to the pink haired boy still looking at him, Leon wondered why no one could see the wild children except him. The crow knew why, but wasn't telling.  
  
A hand landed on Leon's shoulder. "Leon, please talk to me."  
  
So Leon sighed and answered. "I just didn't want to be there anymore. I was going to go fishing in the river. I didn't follow anyone."  
  
"You told your last counselor that the animals asked you to go with them. You told her the animals looked like children and they wanted to play with them in the forest." He waited, but Leon didn't answer. "I want to help you, Leon."  
  
"I don't need help." Leon told him firmly. "I'm strong enough to take care of myself. I was lying to her." Leon hated saying that, but he had to. No one believed him when he told the truth, so he would lie to them. "I lied when I said the animals were talking to me. That's just stupid. Everyone knows animals don't talk."  
  
"Sometimes things can seem very real to us when we feel very sad or angry, Leon. If you think the animals were talking to you, that's okay. Do you want to tell me what you were feeling the day you ran away?"  
  
Leon thought about it. If nothing else, maybe telling Mr. Goti what he wanted to know meant that he'd let Leon out of this stupid meeting early. He really wanted to go to bed so he could sleep and dream. "I felt like something was missing."  
  
"What kind of something?" Mr. Goti was making notes while he listened to Leon. "Did someone hurt you?"  
  
"No." Lean waved that aside. Why did people always think someone had hurt him? "It's just that something was missing. I wanted to get away, into the forest. I thought maybe I could find what was missing. That's all."  
  
"Did you think everything would be all right if you could get into the forest."  
  
Leon shrugged.  
  
"Would you mind if I tried something with you, Leon? I want to try to hypnotize you." Mr. Goti was already getting up and coming to sit next to Leon. "Don't be afraid. It won't hurt." Mr. Goti took a small silver cylinder off his desk and pointed it at Leon's face. There was a flash of light and then...  
  
The next thing Leon knew, Mr. Goti had gone back to his desk and was making more notes on his little computer pad. "It's all over now, Leon. I learned everything I needed to."  
  
"What happened?" Leon asked, rubbing his eyes. He felt very tired all of a sudden. What had he said while being hypnotized? "What did I say?"  
  
"You did very well and we discovered some things that were bothering you. There are some pills I want you to take, Leon."  
  
"Bothering me? What's wrong with me?" In general, Leon thought he was relatively happy. "What did I say?"  
  
Mr. Goti opened his mouth as if he was going to answer, but then changed his mind. "It's nothing I want you to think about right now. You'll be taking some pills twice a day from now on, one of my assistants will help you."  
  
"What will they do? What's wrong with me?" Leon repeated his question.  
  
"They'll make you happier, Leon. You won't see things that aren't there anymore and you'll be able to concentrate on real life better."  
  
"But I already see real life!" By this time, Leon was becoming very worried. He started to sweat. What if there was something really wrong with him and he just never knew it? Mr. Goti was a grown up and a doctor, so he must know what he was talking about, right?  
  
Mr. Goti gave him a pitying smile. "Of course you do, Leon. Trust me on this, though. The pills will make you feel less like something is missing. You'll be very happy here."  
  
A nurse in a blue uniform escorted Leon back to the room he shared with Reginald and Leon bit his lip when he saw how dark it was outside. He must have been in Mr. Goti's office for hours instead of minutes. What had happened?  
  
The door closed firmly behind him, Leon saw that Reginald was already asleep, facing away from Leon. It was good, Leon didn't want anyone to see him change his clothes, after all. So he used to replicator to make some pajamas and crawled into bed without turning the lights on. He didn't want Reginald to wake up when he was half-dressed, after all. Unfortunately, Leon's efforts were in vain. As soon as Leon had covered himself up with the blankets, Reginald spoke.  
  
"How'd it go with Mr. Goti?"  
  
Leon started and was glad it was dark so Reginald couldn't see his blush. He was pretty sure that Reginald had kept his face to the wall the whole time Leon was getting dressed, but it was hard to tell. "Don't know." Leon admitted. "I don't really remember."  
  
"Oh." Reginald was quiet a moment. "Did he use that silver thing and flash a light in your eyes?"  
  
"Yeah. He said it was hypnosis and that I told him things. I don't remember any of it, but he said I have to take pills to make me better."  
  
"I could have guessed that." Reginald said. "Don't take t-them. If y-you get a chance, d-don't take them. You probably won't get a chance, but I think you'd be better off without them."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Reginald, always shy and self-effacing, went quiet again. He seemed to be gathering his courage. He kept going bravely. "The pills. Mr. G-g-goti said you have to take those pills, but you're not the o-only one who does. H-he usually gives everyone pills of some kind. I take them for my s-shyness and feelings of ina-adeq-quacy. They change you."  
  
"But he's a grown up." Leon protested. "He wouldn't do anything to hurt us." Leon had never once met an adult who had tried to hurt him. Every adult he'd ever met had always had the best of intentions and it seemed strange to think an adult would deliberately do something to hurt a child. That just didn't happen.  
  
Reginald, older and wiser, rolled over so that he was looking at Leon in the darkness. Leon could tell because the moon shone right on Reginald's eyes, almost making them glow in the darkness. "Just wait until t-tomorrow and you'll s-see."  
  
"Okay, Reggie."  
  
"Reggie?" He didn't sound like he liked his new nickname.  
  
DREAM-  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"A better question is when are we. As I said, this is a dream." Hot, steaming jungles and the cries of strange animals assaulted Leon's senses. It was all very real, right down to the squishing of the mud under Leon's feet. The moon was high overhead and there were bizarre smells in the air.  
  
D was looking at him with those unreadable eyes of his, looking deep into Leon's soul. Leon wondered if D liked what he saw.  
  
END DREAM-  
  
The next morning-  
  
Leon got his pills the same day Reggie got his. They weren't even ready for breakfast in the communal dining hall when a woman came into their room after knocking. She had three pills. One orange pill for Reggie and two blue ones for Leon.  
  
"Two?" Reggie exclaimed when he saw what the woman handed Leon. His brow furrowed when he saw what the woman had handed Leon along with a glass of water.  
  
"Leon has different needs than you do, Reg." She told him.  
  
Reggie winced. "Please, don't c-call me Reg, Miss Forth. Y-you don't I don't like it."  
  
Miss Forth just smiled and patted Reggie's thin cheek. "But Reg is such a cute name! Now be a good boy and take your medicine."  
  
Reggie did as he was told and swallowed his pill. It wasn't two seconds before the mysterious pill began to take effect. His eyes closed and his whole body went slack. The glass fell from Reggie's hand to be caught deftly by Miss Forth who promptly set it on Reggie's bed before turning back to him with watchful eyes. Reggie was so affected that Miss Forth had to catch him and help him sit on his bed. Reggie started shaking terribly while he sat there.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Leon asked, worried about his new friend and about the orange pills in his hand. Reggie was right; Leon didn't want to take anything that was going to do that to him. "Is he sick? Did the pills do that to him?"  
  
"No, there's not a thing wrong with him." Miss Forth answered brightly. "He'll feel much more confident in just a moment. You wait and see. It's not good for him to be so shy, it'll stunt poor Reggie socially. Now it's your turn, dear." Her bright eyes and cheery smile couldn't hide the fact that this was not a suggestion or a request.  
  
Leon put both pills in his mouth at once and swallowed. Almost immediately, Leon felt like a part of his mind had fallen asleep. The world around him looked colorless and drab, the colors had been muted.  
  
"How do you feel?" Miss Forth asked, watching him closely.  
  
"Fine." Leon saw her as if he hadn't seen her before, but he didn't like what he saw. She looked dull and lifeless, like there was something wrong with his eyes. Leon felt kind of fuzzy. "I guess."  
  
"It's normal to feel a little odd. If you start to feel sick, just tell an adult."  
  
"Get the fuck away from him!"  
  
Leon turned to Reggie and saw his friend was now standing up with one hand on his hip and looking hatefully at Miss Forth. "Ah, Reg, how are you feeling?" Miss Forth asked, a bit wearily, as if she wasn't sure how he'd react.  
  
"I'm just ducky, sweetheart, but I don't want you near my friend." Reggie laughed in a way that seemed very unlike him. Of course, to Leon, Reggie looked odd, too. Like Miss Forth, Reggie looked lifeless and washed out. Reggie came to Leon and put an arm around his shoulder, pulling Leon away from Miss Forth at to his side. "Don't you worry, darling." Reggie winked at Miss Forth. "I'll take care of the kid." With that, he sauntered out of the room with Leon under his arm.  
  
"Reggie?" Leon asked once they were away from Miss Forth and on their way to the dining hall. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? Wrong?" Reggie laughed loudly. "There's nothing wrong, kiddo! I'm high as a kite, but you look a little down in the dumps. Didn't the drugs work their wonders for you? Sweet miss bitch in there will shove them down your fucking throat if you don't take 'em when she asks nice." Reggie's voice turned into a snarl when he spoke about Miss Forth. "She's got a thing for our glorious leader, Mr. Goti, the king bastard of them all. She's probably sleeping with him or something, but she does anything he tells her to do."  
  
All the while Reggie kept up a brisk pace down the halls of the institute, pulling Leon along with him. He seemed to have a lot of energy. Too much energy, maybe. If they had a destination, Leon had no idea where it was. They walked for a long time, going in circles. Reggie walked with a purpose, his strides were long and he seemed to know where they were headed, but Leon didn't ask. It wasn't until the forth time around the institute that Leon thought that maybe Reggie didn't know where they were going, either.  
  
"Reggie, I feel...I feel kind of faded. I think I'm forgetting something." Wasn't there something important he was supposed to remember? Something about a dream? A bird? A child with yellow hair? It was all fading away from Leon.  
  
Reggie shook his head. "Don't worry about it, the drugs all have side effects. If it's important, you'll remember. Everything will be fine. Oh," Reggie's eyes lit up when he saw some girls standing in the hallways just ahead of them. He released Leon for the first time since they'd left their room. "Just give me a minute," Reggie said with a wolfish grin before he ran away from Leon and to a group of girls who were standing around in a circle giggling. Suddenly, one of them squealed and turned to slap Reggie sharply across the face. Reggie took the slap, but only laughed and rubbed the quickly reddening cheek. "Diedre, you've got the prettiest ass on planet and then some! I couldn't help but want to pinch it."  
  
"Reg, you're an ass hole when you're drugged!" The girl screamed back at him. Her own cheeks were bright red, more from embarrassment, probably. "Why don't you pick on someone else, just once!?"  
  
"Awww, you'll make me cry! Don't you know I love you to pieces?" Reggie sniffled and wiped an imaginary tear off his cheek. "Come on, give us a kiss and I'll forgive you." He moved in for a kiss, but promptly got trounced by the entire group of girls.  
  
Leon, never one to let a friend get hurt without trying to help, dove into the fray and tried to save Reggie.  
  
Ten minutes later, the girls had mercifully moved on, leaving the two conquered boys to lick their wounds in peace. Reggie was still laughing, even though the girls had proved stronger and more vicious than Leon would have imagined. They hadn't been too hard to Leon, he was young and hadn't done the crime, but Reggie was bruised all over his face and had blood dripping from his nose where Diedre had punched him.  
  
"You're a good scrapper, kid." Reggie complimented while Leon was nursing a busted lip. "Thanks for trying to help, but I could have taken them." He sounded tired, but still smiled as he leaned his head back against the wall of the hallway and closed his eyes. "It was a good fight."  
  
"Diedre gave you a black eye, Reggie." Leon reminded him. "And she busted your nose."  
  
Reggie smirked. "I do love a girl with spirit."  
  
In the hall, sitting on the floor, both drugged out of their normal personalities, Reggie put his arm around Leon and the two boys leaned against each other. Everyone must have gone off to lessons, because the two were alone. Reggie told Leon, "This isn't me. It's all the drug. I don't like me like this, Leon. It's like I can't control myself. When I'm not on the drug, I might not be the best speaker in the world, but I can control what I do. I can't control anything like this." His laughter died away. "I don't like me much at all, but don't tell Goti I said that. He'll have me on another pill. His motto is 'better living by chemistry' and I don't like being his guinea pig. We aren't the only ones, though. Most every kid here is on something to 'improve' them."  
  
"Reggie," Leon put his hands to his suddenly churning stomach. "I don't feel so good." His stomach had started to churn. Not painfully, really, but very uncomfortably. Leon felt like he was going to throw up.  
  
"Just the pills, kid." Reggie, leaned his head back and rested it against a wall and closed his eyes. His hand moved to Leon's head and he pulled Leon closer until they were leaning against each other. Leon felt very warm and comfortable like that. "Don't move to much. Close your eyes and try to fall asleep. These little episodes never last to long. It's been a couple of hours, so it should start wearing off any time. I think they're trying to figure out a way to make the effects last longer than what they do now. It helps if you just try to sleep. Don't worry, I'll take care of you. No one's ever tried to help me out like that. Silly kid."  
  
Reggie fell silent and Leon, despite what Reggie had told him to do, opened his eyes and looked up at his older friend. Leon was only ten, but Reggie had to be at least fourteen. It seemed strange that they'd strike up a friendship so fast. "Are we friends, Reggie? Or is that the drugs, too?"  
  
"Who knows?" Reggie managed a one shouldered shrug, but didn't open his eyes. "Does it matter? It doesn't matter. You might not even remember any of this, that happens with some of the kids. It's scary not to remember half your life. I might not remember what I did to Diedre, but she's nice so she'll forgive me. She always does."  
  
Leon felt a stirring of pity for Reggie. He didn't really understand why they made Reggie take that pill that made him act so strange, but he did like Reggie. To think wasn't even in control of himself most of the time.  
  
Reggie was panting now, like he couldn't breathe right. "Are you all right, Reggie?" Leon asked, his own stomach troubles forgotten.  
  
"Sure, sure. I'm just fine." Reggie was starting to slump. His legs relaxed straight out in front of him and his head lolled down until it was actually resting on top of Leon's head. "Just a lil' tired. Just...just..." His voice slid away and his entire body went limp.  
  
"Reggie!" Leon screamed, frightened that there was something horribly wrong. He wasn't strong enough to hold Reggie up when Reggie slumped into his lamp. "Reggie! Wake up!" Leon stopped when his own head started to spin.  
  
Suddenly, Miss Forth was there and was picking Reggie up with strength Leon didn't know she had. "Everything's all right, Leon. Go to the dining hall. I'll take care of Reggie." Without another word, she virtually ran down the hall carrying Reggie.  
  
To be continued... 


	4. Deirdre

Dear Readers, thanks so much for checking on this story, when it seemed like I'd abandoned it. I promise, I never start a story I don't intend to finish.  
  
For some reason Reginald Barkley is my favorite Star Trek character. I don't know why, he just is. Therefore, he will have a rather big part.  
  
HOW LONG LOVE?  
Chapter 4: Deirdre  
  
Reggie-  
  
It was very late that night when Reggie woke up and he blinked up at the ceiling. He waited, patiently, for the now familiar sensation of fuzziness to wear off and he could see and think clearly. The smell of antiseptics was heavy in the air and Reggie knew he was in the institute's infirmary.  
  
"Time to get up, Reg."  
  
Reggie kept his face as still as possible. It would be far better to just stay asleep, even though he knew it would be impossible. Miss Forth was never fooled, and she never gave up when it was time to do her job. Just once, Reggie wished they'd let him sleep until he felt like getting up. 'Never happen.'  
  
"Come on, dear," Reggie hated it when she called him, dear. "You know you can't stay like that forever and all the monitors are telling me that you're wide awake. Open your eyes like a good boy."  
  
Good boy? He was fifteen, not six! Reggie didn't honestly believe that she thought she was being kind to him. 'No, she must be irritating me on purpose.' Yet Reggie really didn't feel all that irritated. He felt drained. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling. Stubbornly, Reggie didn't open his eyes, but he was defeated when something cold was pressed to his lips.  
  
"Aren't you thirsty? Just a bit?" Cold water trickled over Reggie's lips and ran down the sides of his cheeks. Reggie couldn't resist and parted his lips, letting the water run into his parched mouth. It really wasn't fair. They knew the medication they had him on made him thirsty all the time, so it was the best way to make him wake up. "There now." Miss Forth said, a touch smug as the glass of water was taken away and Reggie was left wanting.  
  
She always did that!  
  
"More." Reggie muttered, forcing his eyes to open. She wouldn't be satisfied until he was fully awake, now. "Please, more." His mouth was dry as a desert and it was almost painful.  
  
"Just as soon as you're sitting up and alert." She gave him a smug smile when Reggie's eyes focused on her. "I don't know why you always pretend to be asleep. You know it's not going to work."  
  
Reggie didn't answer, but struggled to sit up, despite the terrible lethargy that slowed his whole body down. His head spun for a minute and his stomach churned, but everything settled down after a moment, except for his pounding headache.  
  
The infirmary was, as usual, mostly empty. It was sparkling white, polished over and over again. There were paintings on the walls, soft colors and soothing images along with gentle music playing softly in the background. Reggie hated the place. Not that he'd ever say so much. As much as Reggie resented the way he was treated, he knew he was fortunate to have a home and that there was nothing he could do about his situation. Mr. Goti was supported by the Federation, so everything was legal, though Reggie wasn't sure exactly why. If he tried to run away, they'd just send him back and no one would care if he told them what was being done to the kids at Mr. Goti's children's home. The children's home was also known as the institute, a far more grim name.  
  
Reggie looked around while Miss Forth got her things ready. It was only routine.  
  
"Why's Leon here?" Reggie asked, worried when he saw Leon's face peeking over the edge of a blanket. Sleeping, as he was, Leon looked even younger than he had before. He looked more vulnerable and Reggie had the strange, impulsive urge to protect Leon.  
  
"Basically for the same reason you are. It's not really your business, now is it?" Miss Forth didn't look up from her computer pad and kept typing on it. "Let's get started, shall we? How do you feel?"  
  
It wasn't just a polite question and Reggie answered as clearly as he could. "My head hurts terribly. My stomach feels very queasy and I have a tingling feeling shooting down my arms, into my hands. I feel very tired, I just want to sleep." In fact, Reggie probably could have told her more, but every time he tried to think his head started pounding more.  
  
"Good. Good. Now, how's your sight? Can you see all right?"  
  
"Yes. It's fine, but the lights are too bright and make my head hurt." Yes, that would be much better if they'd just turn the lights out and let Reggie go back to sleep.  
  
"Fine. Now," Of course Miss Forth didn't turn the lights off for him or even dim them a bit. "We'll just take a few readings and I'll let you be." She only took a moment to run a tricorder over Reggie, pausing a bit over his head and heart, before she stood and left. "Oh, your regular meds are on the table next to you. You know how to use the hypospray."  
  
Then Reggie was left alone with only Leon sleeping in the next bed as company. Well, if he wanted something, he was going to have to get it for himself. With a painfully aching body, Reggie slowly sat up. Again, his stomach rolled, but Reggie's thirst was more demanding than his sore muscles and he reached for the glass of water Miss Forth had tempted him awake with. Fortunately, she'd left it on the bedside table, just in reach. Well, almost in reach. Reggie stretched for the glass, but just as his fingers brushed the cold surface, his head seemed to fill with air and the world spun. His ears felt like they were filled with water and Reggie fell. It seemed like he fell for a long time, but when everything cleared, he was only on the floor and his knees aching.  
  
"Reg?" For a minute, Reggie thought it was Miss Forth again, but the hand that landed on his shoulder was too soft for that. "Reg, get up. You dropped the glass."  
  
Indeed, when Reggie looked down at the floor, he found out why his hands hurt. He had dropped the glass and , when he'd fallen, he'd cut his hands on the glass. Reggie raised one hand to look at it and he found the sight of his bleeding palms strangely entrancing. On the floor, Reggie's blood was mixed with the water and turning it pink. "Wha...?" It hurt, but only distantly.  
  
"Reggie? Did they give you something new, again?"  
  
When Reggie finally looked up, he smiled. "Hi, Deirdre." She was the prettiest girl Reggie had ever met and he was glad to see her, especially after he'd embarrassed her so much. "Ummm...sorry about...you know..."  
  
"Oh, please," Deirdre rolled her eyes and took Reggie's arm to help him stand. "Not like it's the first time I've been goosed me. Here, let me." She looked carefully at his hands and began to painstakingly pick out shards of glass, not at all worried about that blood that was staining her own fingers.  
  
Reggie blushed, but was glad that blood was returning to his head, at least. He didn't deserve to even be touched by someone like Deirdre and there she was, so compassionately trying to help him. Reggie wanted to crawl away, somewhere that she didn't have to look at him. She shouldn't be forced to look at someone like him. Reggie hoped his hands weren't shaking too much.  
  
"Just a quick run over with this this and..." Deirdre didn't bother to finish her sentence when she passed one of the medical machines over Reggie's hands and they healed almost instantly. It wasn't hard to get a hold of, especially for Deirdre who was so talented with such things. She would be a great doctor, one day. Finally finished, Deirdre wiped her fingers on her trousers and smiled at Reggie. "There, all done. You could have done it yourself, but I don't think you would have. Did Lady Doubleface make you take your meds?"  
  
When Deirdre helped him to sit back on the bed, Reggie buried his face in his hands. He felt sick again. Deirdre was one of the only people who was ever really kind to him and he'd gone and done something so unthinkable. He really was worthless.  
  
"Hey, you still there?" Deirdre shook his arm a bit. "You look kinda out of it. I'm guessing that's a no. You didn't take your meds, did you? Not even the regular ones?" She really was beautiful. Her hair was very long and dark as chocolate. Her eyes were the same color as her hair and the combination made her skin so pale. "Still seeing pink elephants, huh?"  
  
"Nope, just...I...no. I didn't take them yet. I will." Why should he bother? Was he really worth the trouble of making medication for? Surely, it would be easier on everyone if he just died. The medication would make it easier for him to keep focused and do what he knew he should do. Therefore, Reggie would avoid taking the little hypospray. Someone else would need it more than he did. "Why are you here?" Everything was starting to get clearer and Reggie's headache was fading quickly. "You get sick, too?"  
  
Deirdre laughed, bitterly and hopped up to sit on the bed, next to Reggie. "Isn't that a hoot? How hypocritical can you get? Sick?" She shook her head, making her dark hair wave around her perfect face. For a moment, Reggie was sure that he was dreaming. "But, to your question, no. I'm not SICK. I took my meds like a good little girl. Classes just got out, so I thought I'd come and see if you needed some company. Lady Doubleface isn't much fun to talk to."  
  
"Miss Forth didn't...didn't do much...talking." Reggie hated it when he couldn't talk straight, especially around Deirdre. Reggie really admired Deirdre. She was brave enough to say exactly what she thought, even about the feared Miss Forth. Lady Doubleface. Reggie liked that. It suited Miss Forth so well. Reggie wished he was as brave as Deirdre.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Deirdre waved her hand, negligently. "Just took her readings and that cold fish smile, huh? Damn. Mind altering drugs used to be illegal, you know. A long time ago Mr. Goti would have been hunted down for doing this to us. Now we're just ignored." Deirdre was angry and Reggie knew just by how still her face got and the far away look in her eyes. She was thinking about something very important. "I wonder. Do you think the Federation really knows what Mr. Goti's doing here?"  
  
"Of course they do." Reggie said. How could they not? They were supporting Mr. Goti's research. That's what Mr. Goti always told everyone, anyway.  
  
"How do we know, though?" Deirdre still didn't look at Reggie, but kept her eyes focused on what she saw. "We don't know anything, do we? We aren't allowed outside communication. We aren't allowed to even go for a walk unsupervised. Never allowed to talk to anyone. The only thing we do is lessons and pills. I think we all spend half our lives drugged out of our minds. We still have plenty of time for learning, though. I wonder why?" Reggie rarely ever saw Deirdre so serious and tried to think along the lines her mind was traveling, but he couldn't see what she was seeing. Obviously, Deirdre was suspicious of something., but Reggie wasn't sure what, exactly. Deirdre blinked and seemed to return to herself. Her eyes lit up and she pressed a finger to her lips before saying, "I've brought you a present. Something to keep you from getting to bored till they let you out." From seemingly out of nowhere, Deirdre presented a small, handheld computer, no doubt loaded with games.  
  
Reggie managed a watery smile and wondered if he should kill himself after she left. Leon might wake up and he wouldn't want to upset Leon. No, Reggie wasn't worth upsetting anyone. He'd be better off waiting and Deirdre was so kind just to think of him. She'd come all this way to bring him something and that could get her in trouble with Mr. Goti. She shouldn't take such risks for him, he wasn't worth it.  
  
"Thanks." Reggie managed to say. She was really too nice. They weren't allowed these little computers except in class.  
  
"It's not for playing with, yet." Deirdre said, strictly. "You can have it only if you do me a favor." She leaned in closer, until her head nearly rested on his shoulder and Reggie felt as if he might faint. "It's a big favor and it's a secret."  
  
Reggie swallowed hard, fighting passed the lump in his throat. "Y-yes?"  
  
"You're so good with computers. I want you to rig that thing."  
  
"Rig?"  
  
"We both know Lady Doubleface and her little team of trained gorillas have fixed every computer around this place so we can't communicate with the outside world. This is just a game toy, so they haven't touched it. I want you to make that into a communicator."  
  
Reggie was shocked by the request. It was entirely against every rule and if anyone found out that Reggie had done something like that... he didn't even want to think of the punishment. "But...but what about..."  
  
"Don't think about the rules, Reggie. This is important. Tell me what you need and I'll get it. Anything can be bought, even here." She gave him a half-smile. "One good thing about having all our time in class is that you learn an awful lot. I'll bet you're better than the instructor when it comes to fiddling with these little computer things, huh? You can do it, Reggie. I need you to do it before they hook you up on another experimental drug, though. I don't want this botched. Will you do it?"  
  
For anyone else, Reggie would have refused. He didn't deserve the faith Deirdre had in him. Still, looking into her intense, dark eyes, Reggie nodded. He'd have done anything for her at that moment.  
  
Deirdre smiled and Reggie felt as if he had seen heaven. "Thanks, Reg."  
  
"Uh, Deirdre?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you...er...mind? I'd like you to call me Reggie." It wasn't so much that he liked being called Reggie, but he hated it when Miss Forth called him Reggie and it seemed unnatural to hear such an ugly name coming from Deirdre's lips. Those lovely lips...  
  
"Ha, ha." Deirdre laughed, but nodded. "Sure. Why not?" They sat together for a short while until Reggie noticed she was staring at him and didn't seem to want to leave. Reggie began to fiddle with the little computer Deirdre had given him and wondered what he was doing to make her just stare at him. Finally, Deirdre threw an arm over Reggie's shoulder and pulled him in so close that their noses nearly touched. "Reggie,"  
  
"Y-yes?"  
  
"Lady Doubleface left meds for you." Something cold and sharp pressed into Reggie's neck and he gasped at the sting of the hypospray. "Don't act like a baby." Deirdre said, coolly. "Left on your own, you wouldn't take it and we all know it. Lady Doubleface isn't smart enough to give it to you, so I have to do it. At least these meds keep you a bit normal. Normal enough to get through classes, anyway." She shook her head and jumped up, bouncing away from the bed as if she hadn't a care in the world. "Tell me if you like the games on that thing, Reggie. Just don't talk to me if they give you those damned orange pills again, huh? Those things turn you into a read bastard. Oh, yeah. Don't step on that glass, will ya? You aren't wearing any shoes."  
  
Reggie sat alone in the infirmary, simply happy because Deirdre wasn't going to call him Reg anymore. Happy. It wasn't often that he was happy...oh, yes. The medication. That was why. He was happy because of the medication. There was a certain speech everyone was given when they came to this place.  
  
"Never try to go without your prescribed medication." Mr. Goti would tell everyone. "You're taking it for a reason and you would get very sick without it." It was left at that and no one ever got to see what exactly 'very sick' was.  
  
Leon's dream-  
  
The halls was dark enough that Leon could see nothing but D's ornate kimono as D walked in front of him, down the long hallway. He just couldn't understand why D would want to go looking at flowers at night, anyway. Leon felt that, somehow, he should be more angry that D had called him so late at night to look at flowers. Leon wasn't angry, though, or even really upset. He hadn't minded the phone call or hearing D's soft voice in the middle of the night, asking him to hurry over to the petshop.  
  
In truth, Leon had practically forgotten the beautiful kimono D's grandpa had sent him weeks ago until D had opened the door of one of the many, many rooms in the long hallways of the petshop. The room was very simple with a large platform, the size of a bed larger than the one in Leon's apartment, and the sakura decorated kimono hanging on a large wooden pole with two round lanterns on either side, illuminating it.  
  
"Huh." Leon said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he moved to stand in front of the kimono. It looked...different. When D had first pulled it out of the box, the kimono had been beautiful, filled with pink blossoms and unopened buds. "That's the kimono isn't it? This is what you wanted me to look at?" Leon looked at D, but still couldn't see D's face. It was always hidden in shadows. D handed Leon a small cup filled with a clear liquid.  
  
"Now, now have a drink."  
  
"Sake? Now you're talking, count!" Leon liked sake a lot more than he liked even beer, but he only got it on special occasions at D's. "Hey, count, did you add something to that kimono? It looks different than the last time I saw it." Even as he said it, Leon took a small sip of the sake, the way D had told him to when Leon had started drinking it. "Like there's more flowers or something." Leon was sure that when he and D had opened the package from Japan the kimono had more unopened buds on it. Now, all the flowers were in full bloom and some were even falling. The color of the flowers was the most perfect color of pink Leon had ever seen.  
  
"Quiet, Leon. Just watch." D's voice seemed to vibrate in Leon's head and at that moment Leon couldn't have taken his eyes away from the kimono if he tried.  
  
A soft sound floated through the air, seeming to come from all around and no where at all. It was a heart wrenching sound and made Leon's eyes sting with unshed tears. Just that first, single note. A breeze that couldn't be blew through the dark room, making the kimono flutter softly and as it did, several of the pink sakura blossoms fell gently from the kimono to land on the floor. 'What the Hell?'  
  
Another note of pure magic hit Leon's ears, but this time he knew it was coming from behind him. Leon turned to see where the strange music was coming from but wasn't at all reassured by what he saw. they were ghosts, Leon was sure of that. No one like them could really exist. A quartet of musicians sat on the floor, though Leon had been sure that he and D were the only ones in the room just seconds ago. They were beautiful, though it was hard to tell if they were men or women. Flutes, pipes, drums, and some kind of stringed instrument all made up the haunting, unearthly music that seemed to fill Leon's mind and body with beauty and grief.  
  
'When did I step into a Zepplin album?' Leon tried to keep his thoughts in order, but it wasn't easy. The room around them had vanished and Leon was all to aware of a thick mist surrounding them.  
  
D was right next to Leon the whole time, that much, Leon was sure of. "The best time to watch the cherry blossoms, detective, is when they are falling."  
  
So Leon turned from the eerie musicians and looked back to where the kimono should have been. In the kimono's place was a tree. It was alive and Leon had the terrible feeling that the tree was sad. It looked very sad as the wind rippled though its boughs and caused the beautiful flowers to fall. Leon took a step towards the tree and realized he was standing in water. Looking down, Leon was puzzled. 'Huh? The water's red. Wait...is it water or...?'  
  
"Yes, detective. Red is the color of blood. But it's also the color of cherries. It's fitting that cherries are the same color as human blood. After all, cherry blossoms are so enchanting that it's said that they can drive one mad."  
  
Mad? Was Leon going mad? He felt like he was going mad. The world was engulfed in mist and music, D vanished leaving only his voice behind, and Leon felt like he was falling into darkness. Then, he woke up.  
  
End dream-  
  
When Leon woke up the first thing he saw was Reggie sitting on the edge of a bed just next to him. 'He still looks like a daddy-long-legs-spider.' Leon thought. Too much arms and legs, that was Reggie's problem. His big, bulging eyes didn't help, either.  
  
"Oh, you're awake." Reggie said when he noticed Leon looking at him. "Miss Forth will be in soon to talk to you. Your life signs are being monitored, so she'll know you're awake. How do you feel?"  
  
"Sick." Leon put a hand to his stomach and waited until it settled. The image of the falling sakura blossoms was still fresh in his mind and the word 'blood' kept echoing in his memory.  
  
"I'm not surprised. They'll have to give you different meds until they find one that doesn't make you sick. It shouldn't take long." Reggie gingerly stood up and went to sit next to Leon. "We'll go back to our room when Miss Forth says we can. 'Till then, I guess you should just try to sleep, if you can. They'll have you going to classes soon enough."  
  
"Reggie, I wanna go outside." It was very important that Leon go outside. He wanted fresh air and to see the crow. He'd have to ask her name. No. That wasn't right. Crows didn't talk, did they? It was all a dream.  
  
"It's the middle of the night." Reggie told Leon. "They won't let us out until morning. Sorry."  
  
Leon felt a dark, twisting feeling in his stomach. "But I have to go out! I have to talk to her."  
  
"Her who?" Reggie asked with a frown.  
  
"Her!" Leon stopped himself from saying more. Reggie was like everyone else, he'd never understand. Understand what? Her? Leon scowled. He knew there was someone he wanted to talk to. Someone who'd promised to protect him. Was it just a dream? "My heart feels funny and everything looks funny. It all looks gray, like the colors been washed out." Hadn't colors been brighter just before...before what? He turned to look at Reggie and even Reggie looked strangely faded. Beyond Reggie, there was a window that looked out at the dark night, lit by a light just outside the window. Leon winced as his heart seemed to beat faster and faster. Leon put his hand up to his throat, feeling his pulse beating like a drum. "What's wrong with me? I don't want anymore of those pills." Leon felt like he might cry and kept his eyes on the window. A black shape landed on the windowsill and Leon recognized it as a crow. He'd seen pictures of crows on computer programs and in books, but he'd never seen one in life, not like this. Crows, and all animals, had always looked like people to Leon. This was a bird and Leon was seeing it just like everyone else saw them. Looking at its dark, bead-like eyes, Leon thought the crow looked angry.  
  
"Do you want me to find an adult?" Reggie asked, concerned.  
  
"Uh-un." Leon shook his head. "I just wanna go to sleep." But Leon was suddenly afraid that if he went to sleep he wouldn't wake up. "The tree was sad, I think it was dying. Maybe I'm dying, too. I don't know because it might have been a dream. I haven't dreamed at all since I had to take those pills. Isn't that weird? Except about the cherry tree. I've never gone so long without a dream." Leon's hand suddenly shot out, away from his throat, and snatched Reggie's sleeve. "I'm scared. What if I don't dream again?"  
  
Reggie looked uncomfortable with Leon's sudden panic, but tried to comfort him. "You dreamed about D, right?"  
  
Leon's eyes opened very wide. 'How does he know?'  
  
Reggie smiled shyly at Leon's expression. "You talk in your sleep, you know. You kept talking to someone called D. Is that a friend?"  
  
Leon pulled the blanket that had been laid over him up closer to his chin and his hands bunched around it tightly. He'd never spoken to anyone about D or about any of his dreams involving D. They were...private. Leon just didn't want anyone else knowing about D. It was as if something precious was defiled just that Reggie knew about D. "Sort of." Leon answered. He knew D was just apart of his dreams, but D was a special part of those dreams. Even though Leon never saw D's face Leon had always felt like D was the closest person to him. "It doesn't matter. I just don't want those pills anymore."  
  
"You don't have much of a choice." Reggie went to one of the computers on the walls and began typing on the surface, making the screen flash so quickly that Leon had no idea what Reggie was doing. He spoke while he tapped at the computer. "You're here for a reason, just like the rest of us and Mr. Goti's going to try to 'fix' you. He'll have you in for a chat soon and tell you the same thing he tells the rest of us. Whatever medication he gives you will stop whatever it is that put you here."  
  
"I'm here because I kept running away and getting into fights at the other places." Leon told Reggie stubbornly. There was nothing wrong with him!  
  
"Sure." Reggie stopped his typing abruptly and put his hands on his lap. "I have a bad feeling. Something is going to happen. You shouldn't worry about dreams when there's so much in reality to worry about." It was such a serious warning that Leon stared at Reggie's still face, not sure that it was still the nervous boy he'd met only a few hours earlier. Then Reggie put a hand to the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Listen to me go on. Just lay down and rest, Leon. Miss Forth will come back soon and she'll probably have your new meds already."  
  
"What are you doing?" Leon asked when Reggie went back to his rapid work on the computer. He desperately wanted to change the subject away from whatever Reggie heard Leon saying about D and this 'something' Reggie said was going to happen.  
  
"Oh, just homework. We don't get a vacation here, not even when we come off bad meds. We can't leave until Miss Forth lets us." Whatever Reggie's homework was, he must have been very good at it, he barely seemed to be thinking as he zipped though the computer terminal. "You can do your schoolwork on any of the computers in the institute; you'll be assigned an ID number before you start classes and you just enter that into the computer.  
  
So Leon went back to looking out the window at the crow and tried very hard to get his heart to slow down. It wasn't working well and the crow seemed to be getting more and more upset. "Reggie?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What kind of bad thing's going to happen?"  
  
Reggie didn't stop his work at the computer. "I don't know. But it's going to happen. soon. It's just a feeling."  
  
A few weeks after starting regular classes at the institute and Leon was starting to fall into a regular routine. He got used to the world being dull and gray and he got used to the medication Mr. Goti started him on. It wasn't pills this time, but a little slip of sticky paper Leon had to stick onto his stomach every morning. If he was caught without it, Leon would get into terrible trouble and be kept in an isolation room for hours. Leon became convinced that all his dreams were just that...dreams. They were nothing.  
  
Despite what Reggie had told Leon about the meds everyone in the institute was taking, Leon knew he was better off with them. He didn't spend his whole day dreaming as he used to and it was much easier to get through life. Leon began to think of the future and what he might do with his life, as he struggled though his classes. On the other hand, Reggie breezed though lessons easily and ended up tutoring Leon. Poor Reggie had a lot more problems with his meds than anyone else and spent half his time going through weird side-affects. In retrospect, it was a good thing Reggie was so smart or he'd have never passed his classes.  
  
Only about two weeks after Leon had arrived at the institute, the entire institute was called to a meeting by Mr. Goti. It was like a small school assembly. There weren't very many children in this institute, perhaps a hundred, and everyone stood at attention, waiting for Mr. Goti to begin speaking. Mr. Goti, standing at the front of the room on a raised stage, looked over the students with his normal, gentle eyes.  
  
"What's this about?" Leon whispered to Reggie. Since he'd arrived here, Leon had become fast friends with Reggie, though they were entirely different.  
  
"Shush." Reggie whispered back, his mouth barely moving.  
  
"It has come to my attention," Mr. Goti began. "That one of our own has tried to contact the outside without permission or supervision. I am extremely disappointing. Our purpose here is to ensure you children get the necessary treatments that will help you get through life. Without the treatment you receive here most of you would be able to go no further in life than scrubbing floors. You, the unwanted and discarded children of Earth, need us. The rule about no communication is very important, especially for those of you who are sadly influenced by negative outside forces. By the time you've become adults, you will all be able to see the world how it should be and resist influences that might harm you. The only reason one of you would try to communicate with the outside is that you are unhappy here. I don't want any of you to be unhappy." He turned to the side and raised his voice slightly. "Bring her out."  
  
It was Deirdre who was led out from another room, looking angry and determined. Beside Leon, Reggie gasped and turned pale.  
  
Mr. Goti continued when Deirdre had been brought to stand between himself and the rest of the children. "Deirdre Addams, I am very disappointed in what you've done. I don't think you recognize the seriousness of what you've done. Any interruption from the outside could inhibit our process of making the medication that keeps you and all your little friends healthy. You've brought us to the attention of an outsider and that might cause trouble."  
  
"Good." Deirdre said, lifting her chin proudly to talk to Mr. Goti. "I hope I've caused you a lifetime of trouble. You really think you can keep going on like this. Ten years is a long time, you should be..."  
  
"I didn't give you permission to speak, young lady. Remain silent." Mr. Goti's friendly smile never changed. "Your actions have endangered everyone here and has threatened the lives of every student at this institute."  
  
"Don't you mean I've endangered your life?" Deirdre smirked. "When the Federation finds out what you've done here you'll get roasted over a fire." Her tone was bitter and Leon guessed that her eyes were just as fiery. He knew that Deirdre and Reggie were friends, despite the first time Leon had seen them together. "You've given us all a great education here, didn't you think we'd use it? I'm not so stupid as to think the Federation would endorse you using children as your test subjects." At that last, she raised her voice and turned slightly to look at the rest of the student body. "All of us are nothing more than human lab rats he uses before he gives his new medications over to the Federation and gets all the glory. Institute my ass!" At that, Miss Forth had grabbed Deirdre's arm and twisted it hard until Deirdre hit her knees with a cry of pain. "Your using poor Reggie as a first round test subject. You don't do any trial tests before you start pumping drugs into him! Stimulators and depressants, you don't even care what happens to him!"  
  
"I've studied your records, Miss Addams." Mr. Goti said. "You couldn't have made that communication device by yourself. Who helped you?"  
  
"No one." Deirdre said from between clenched teeth. "I did it on my own. You think I'd trust any of these sheep to help me?"  
  
Leon noticed that Reggie's hand clenched into a fist so tight that his hand started to bleed. "Reggie?" Leon wasn't at all sure what Deirdre was talking about, but he did know it was bad. Test subjects? Drugs? Just when Leon was starting to feel comfortable here, it stopped feeling like a school and was feeling more like a prison. Leon longed from his comfortable dreams, but none came and the world was still gray.  
  
Mr. Goti shook his head. "I can see asking isn't going to work." He turned again to the assembled students. "Deirdre Addams is going to be put off her medications entirely for three days as punishment for her transgression. Should anyone be caught trying to sneak medications her to, they will receive the same punishment. To prevent her from hurting herself, Miss Addams will be kept in an isolation room, strapped down. I advise you all to take note of what happens when someone tries to act against the well-being of this institute. Don't make the same mistake Miss Addams did."  
  
Two orderlies, big, burly men, took Deirdre by the arms and began to pull her away to another door, which Leon assumed was the isolation room. Deirdre screamed, "I'm not afraid of you, bastard! I'll last out these three days if it kills me!"  
  
Mr. Goti didn't react to her words and kept smiling like a benign old uncle. "The rest of you should return to your rooms and get plenty of sleep tonight. You've got classes in the morning, I hope you all do well."  
  
"STOP!" It was Reggie who yelled out and burst away from Leon. Reggie charged to the front of the gathering, pushing passed the other students until he was at the front and just a few steps away from Deirdre who watched him with horrified eyes.  
  
"Reggie, don't..."  
  
"Deirdre didn't do anything!" Reggie ignored Deirdre for the first time since Leon had known them. He felt helpless to help his friend, like he was watching someone die. "I made the communicator for her, it was my idea!"  
  
Mr. Goti just nodded. "Yes, I thought so much." He nodded and two more orderlies appeared, taking Reggie by the arms. "I'm sorry to hear that, Reginald. You have such a bright future ahead of you, if we can find the right medication for you. One day, I have hope that you'll be a credit to our institute, but, for now, I'm afraid I'll have to have you punished. Put him in with Miss Addams."  
  
Deirdre shouted, "Reggie, you idiot!"  
  
Reggie didn't reply, but let himself be led away peacefully while Deirdre screamed and fought with her captors.  
  
Three days passed very quietly and Leon found himself missing Reggie's shy chatter and his erratic behavior when he was taking one of the many medications Mr. Goti fed him. Leon didn't watch the broadcast of Reggie and Deirdre's punishment. In those three days, Leon began talking to the crow that seemed to be continuously at his windowsill. He was fond of her and had even come to name her Jill. Leon wasn't sure why, but he liked the name.  
  
The door of their room slid open and Leon looked away from Jill to see Reggie standing in the doorway. He didn't look good and didn't even look at Leon before he staggered to his bed and fell face-down on it.  
  
"Reggie!" Leon left the window and ran to Reggie's side, falling down on his knees beside Reggie's bed. "What..." Leon stopped when he got a good look at Reggie's face. He was very pale, almost deathly pale, and his eyes were sunken and had black circles around them. Reggie looked half bald, so much of his hair had fallen out. Skinny before, Reggie was skeletal now.  
  
"Sleep." Reggie whispered, closing his eyes. "Just...want..." He began to shake and pulled his arms and legs in close until he was in the fetal position. "I had a cat once, Leon. She was beautiful. I remember...playing with her in my mother's garden. Always thought, when I was little, I wanted to be a hero and rescue the lady in distress. Pretended my cat was the lady in distress. Silly. I can't even rescue a real lady."  
  
Leon bit his lip when he saw tears shining at the corners of Reggie's closed eyes. 'What happened? What did Mr. Goti do to them?' Leon's voice felt strained when he asked, "Where's Deirdre?"  
  
Reggie's arms just tightened around himself and began to sob, hiding his face in his arms. Leon, not knowing what else to do, crawled up onto the bed with Reggie and curled up next to him. "Don't worry, Reggie. I'll stay with you." They slept like that several nights in a row, but Reggie never told anyone what happened to Deirdre and he never tried to make another communicator.  
  
Deirdre was never seen again.  
  
Life went on and no one ever dared to try and contact the outside world as rumor about what had happened to Deirdre began to circulate. No one knew the truth except Reggie and he never said a word about it.  
  
Baby D-  
  
The Earth was a place of great magic and wonder, but it was at times like these that Baby D, also known as Count D, wondered what made the human species think they were so much more important than everyone else. He sat in his petshop and conducted business, just as every one of his predecessors had for uncountable years, though at the moment he wasn't conducting any business. Instead, he was watching a mirror that showed him the events of Leon's life. It was strange. Baby D had carefully listened to the reports the animals had given him on the whereabouts and health of the newly reincarnated Leon, but he had refused to interfere in Leon's life in anyway.  
  
The fact that Leon seemed to remember bits and pieces of his past life with D and little Chris Orcot was odd, to say the least. In fact, Baby D had heard of no other cases like this when it came to humans. Leon dreamed of his passed reality and it invaded his present reality, though Leon seemed to deal with it well until malicious chemicals were introduced into his system.  
  
"Do you want me to get him away from there?" Baby D, who hadn't been a baby in many years, asked the one who stood next to him. "He remembers parts of his past life very clearly. We could reunite them now."  
  
"No." Sofu shook his head and pulled his hood down further over his face. "This is not a mere reincarnation, but a new life brought forth by the fire of the Phoenix. Only the Phoenix will decide when they will meet again." He shook his head. "Will it make any difference if I tell you not to give your heart to a human? To many of our family have been hurt by them."  
  
"No, Sofu. I am afraid not. I learn from the past, as everyone does. I have learned it is futile to fight against something as willful as the heart." He looked back at the mirror where Leon was laying next to an older, teen-aged boy. "He has no dreams anymore, not with the foreign chemicals in his body. Nii-san will be unhappy if Leon is injured or kill before they are able to meet again. The chemicals may permanently damage him."  
  
"Your brother isn't even aware yet that Leon has been reborn. If Leon dies again there will be no harm. If he survives, then perhaps he is strong enough to stay with your nii-san. In time, perhaps a few years, I will ask the Phoenix to let your nii-san know where Leon is." Sofu turned away from the mirror and left Baby D alone.  
  
He didn't agree with Sofu. In fact, he didn't agree with Sofu on many issues, but on this most of all. He didn't like seeing Leon's body so tampered with or the bodies of all the other innocent human children. 'Nii-san is right. Humans are just as important as any other animals and should be protected. Especially Leon, he made nii-san so happy.' Still, Baby D did nothing. He was not fool enough to go against the wishes of his Sofu, no matter what he felt was right or wrong.  
  
To be continued... 


	5. Time

A/N: Mellow is from Petshop of Horrors #4, Digital  
  
HOW LONG LOVE?  
Chapter 5: Time  
  
Leon-  
Eight years later-  
  
Of course, no one stayed at the HOME FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN forever.  
  
"Good luck in your career in Starfleet, Mr. Barns."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Leon stood before Mr. Goti's desk, keeping his face carefully blank. Leon was eighteen years old now and finally it was legal for him to leave Mr. Goti's 'HOME'. He'd never been fond of Mr. Goti and the passed eight years had only made his initial dislike turn into hate. Leon blamed Mr. Goti entirely for whatever had happened to Deirdre. Deirdre had probably died. Leon didn't know what else to think and the whole situation had only shown Leon why everyone was so cowed by Mr. Goti and his staff. Mr. Goti obviously wasn't above killing children and that made him dangerous. So, in all the time he was at Mr. Goti's 'HOME' Leon caused no trouble. At least, no trouble that he could be blamed for.  
  
Mr. Goti smiled benignly, as he usually did. "You'll be a credit to us, as Reginald is." Mr. Goti's smile grew and he looked at his computer screen, which he'd obviously been looking at before Leon had come in. "He's serving on starships, now. An engineer, he did so well in the academy. I'm afraid we've lost track of him since he's left us, though. All this," Mr. Goti waved his pudgy hand at his computer screen. "It's all nothing but official documents. He's done everything he can to ignore my attempts to contact him. I'm quite hurt."  
  
"Of course, sir." Deep inside himself, Leon knew that he shouldn't be dumb about this. He should tell Mr. Goti exactly what he thought 'Damned two-faced bastard. Acts like he cares! He's the shit who nearly broke Reggie. He killed Deirdre, I'm sure of it. No one ever saw her after that 'punishment'. Reggie tried to kill himself when he came back. Reggie was lucky to get away from here and he'd be an idiot to ever come back!' Leon stayed silent and he didn't say any of the things he was thinking. There was no point. Nothing he could say would make any difference.  
  
"I hope you won't be so distant as Reginald, after all we've done for you here. You see, Mr. Barns, it's not only for my peace of mind, so I'll know that you're safe, but it's for your health. I would hate to see you go back to the way you were before you came to us. Without your medications, I don't think your body would react well."  
  
That was the truth. They'd done plenty of experiments seeing what would happen if Leon spent time off his meds. Leon couldn't remember anything that had happened, but Reggie, when he'd still be Leon's roommate, had told Leon that he acted very strangely. It was safer to keep taking the medication just because Leon hated it when things went on that he didn't know about, especially when it involved him.  
  
When Leon didn't respond, Mr. Goti pulled out a hypospray and a bottle of small, white pills from one of his desk drawers. "Take some with you when you leave." Mr. Goti said, pushing them forward on his desk. "If you want to make it through the Academy, you'll have to keep a clear head and we both know you can't do that without your medication. No need to thank me, Leon." He stood up at that point and walked to the window that overlooked the playground outside.  
  
When Leon looked out, he saw not only the children, but animals. He'd never forgotten his early, though foolish view of animals. Now that he saw them as they really were, though, the world didn't seem nearly so beautiful. As usual, the crow was watching Leon from a nearby tree.  
  
"I'll contact you at the Academy in a week or so, when the medication runs out."  
  
"Yes, sir. Is that all?" Leon wanted to get away from Mr. Goti. He was just minutes away from escaping this place and it would be nice if he didn't have to spend those minutes with Mr. Goti.  
  
"Yes, yes. Of course, my boy. Just be thankful for what I'm doing for you, Leon. I'll send you more medication whenever you need it, but in return, I'll expect you to send me details of your health as often as possible. I need it for my research, you see. Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Barns."  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"If you happen to meet up with Reginald during your career in Starfleet, I hope you'll urge him to contact me."  
  
"Yes, sir." Leon lied. Reggie had been unspeakably happy to get away from Mr. Goti and Leon wasn't about to do anything that might ruin that happiness.  
  
Less than a week after leaving the 'HOME' that had been more like a prison for years of his life, Leon learned that it had been closed down. Though it was quiet, the news spread that someone had called an investigation on Mr. Goti and found that some of his ways of dealing with the children in his care were a bit less than ethical. Questions were raised about the medicines he used, for one. Word came around that all children who had been in Mr. Goti's care were being put into rehabilitation centers to rid themselves of the chemicals inside of them.  
  
Without hesitation, Leon made a few quick changes to his history file with the Academy. Now, instead of an orphan from who-knows-where, Leon had a mother, father, and a grandmother who all lived in New Jersey. If he was lucky and kept from getting noticed, then no one would pry to deeply into his past. The last thing Leon wanted was to have his life interrupted and to be made a freak in front of the whole world. If they found out that he'd been one of Mr. Goti's kids, Leon knew his life in Starfleet would be over.  
  
'Over? Hell, I don't even know why I'm here.' He entered Starfleet because it was the fastest way to get away from Mr. Goti and the easiest way to track down Reggie. Other than that, Leon had no interest in Starfleet. In fact, the idea of leaving Earth left him feeling cold and sick. 'If they find me, they'll do the same thing Mr. Goti did, won't they? They'll start experimenting to see what the drugs did to me. No one would trust me to be in Starfleet if they think Mr. Goti pumped me full of drugs.'  
  
He worried about the medication. How would he be able to go through the Academy with his head filled with useless dreams? Leon's worries didn't last long, though. Not long after the news about Mr. Goti's 'HOME' was let out, the rumor spread that Mr. Goti, himself, had been acquitted of all charges. A nurse working for him, Miss Forth, was blamed for giving the strange drugs to the children in her care. Leon couldn't bring himself to feel badly for her.  
  
Leon did receive a message from Mr. Goti, shortly before his medication ran out.  
  
I suppose you heard about my unfortunate circumstances, Mr. Barns. I assure you that no matter what the public at large is told, I will continue my work in the field of medicine. As promised, I have sent you another supply of medication and it should last you a month. Providing that you reply to this message with a report of your physical health, another supply will be sent to you in one month. If you should think about telling anyone that we are in contact or what you are receiving from me, let me tell you that it will only lead to no more medication for you. I think you are smart enough to understand the consequences. Sincerely, Mr. Sam Goti.  
  
Leon stared at the message and hated Mr. Goti. He wasn't going to tell and he knew that it was just what Mr. Goti wanted. Apparently the Federation wasn't all that upset about what Mr. Goti had been doing, if they'd let him off so easily. Miss Forth was just doing what she was told, Leon knew that. Nothing Leon could say or do would make any difference and he needed the medication if he was going to graduate from Starfleet Academy.  
  
A wave of dizziness washed over Leon very suddenly and he heard a distant voice,  
  
-Do not forget me, Leon. My lion. I am coming for you.-  
  
Standing up from his desk in his dorm room, Leon groaned and put one hand to the side of his head. The world spun around him for a moment and Leon had to keep his eyes closed until his stomach stopped churning. When the sick feeling finally left him, Leon happened to glance in the mirror and he saw something strange. He saw himself, but older. Long, shaggy blonde hair tied into a loose pony-tail and a cigarette held loosely in his lips. How Leon knew that it was a cigarette, he didn't know. He'd never seen one before.  
  
-You're pathetic, brat.- Leon's other self told him, taking the cigarette out of his mouth to flick off the ashes. He breathed out a puff of smoke. -You're addicted. I should know.- He looked meaningfully at the cigarette. -You just going to keep being a 'good boy'? Damn, poppin' pills like a fuckin' junkie! I'm ashamed!- He spat this last and Leon felt the burst of anger inside of himself as if he were feeling the same at the same time. -Don't you know anything? We're stronger than this, we don't need those!-  
  
Leon swallowed hard. He'd just taken the pills, hadn't he? How long ago had it been? A few hours? Surely the dreams wouldn't start so soon. "You're not real."  
  
-Then why are you talking to me, brat? Shit, you really are just a brat. I guess I should say WE really are a brat. Don't you have any willpower? You think you aren't gonna get found out the first time they give you a blood test?-  
  
"The medications are undetectable to the normal tests." Leon found himself replying again. Why was he arguing to a figment of his imagination? "No one's ever going to know."  
  
If anything, that only made the Leon in the mirror more angry. -You disgusting little turd! You think that makes it all right?! That goddamned shit went and hook you and a hundred other kids on God know's what and you're going to let him get away with it!-  
  
Leon's hand inched for the pills on his desk. His breathing was too fast and he felt unpleasantly warm all over. "It's not like that. The Federation approve of what Mr. Goti's doing, no one would care if I told them the truth." Color was starting to return to the world and Leon felt something inside of himself shift. He knew the medications were wearing off.  
  
-Don't feed me that crap! You know what that bastard did and you know you can stop him.-  
  
"No one would believe me!" Leon protested. He loaded the pills into the bottom end of the hypospray, they were turn into a gas in there and get into his body faster than if he just swallowed the pills. "They raided his whole building, searched his files, and they STILL let him free."  
  
-Who cares what anyone else believes? We both know the truth. He's doing bad things and no one's going to stop him. He's still experimenting on you, what makes you think he isn't doing the same thing to the others? What kind of coward are you?-  
  
"You don't understand!"  
  
"Understand what, Barns?"  
  
Leon turned abruptly at the voice and found his roommate standing behind him. "Mark!" Leon had only known his new roommate for a very short while and it wasn't safe to trust him. "What did...?"  
  
"What did I hear?" Mark gave him a questioning, worried look. "Oh, nothing but you yelling at your reflection. Something bothering you, Barnes?"  
  
-The name's Orcot, not Barns!- Leon's reflection growled, lifting his cigarette back to his lips again. He seemed irritation that their conversation had been interrupted.  
  
"No. Nothing's bothering me." Leon hastily pressed the hypospray into the crux of his arm and heard the familiar hiss of the injection. "I'm fine. Just fine." None of this was real. The reflection in the mirror cursed foully at Leon, halfway turning around. It was nothing but his own mind playing tricks on him.  
  
"What's that?" Mark looked pointedly at Leon's hypospray.  
  
"Vitamins."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The medicine began to take affect and the reflection began to fade right before Leon's eyes. It didn't go quietly, though. -He won't wait forever, ya know. What are we gonna do when he gets here and we don't know him?- Then the image faded and Leon was left looking at himself, pale and shaking, with his roommate still looking at him from the background.  
  
With a sigh of relief, Leon left the desk and went to his bed. Beside his bed, in a large, ornate cage, was Leon's near constant companion. Jill. Leon unlocked the large door of the gilded cage and let Jill fly out. The crow flapped around the room a couple of times before she came to rest on Leon's chest, settling in comfortably. Leon was sure that Jill was the same crow that had been following him around since he was a child, even if he didn't understand how she could still be alive. Her eyes were as deep and old as ever and Leon felt guarded under those eyes.  
"I guess you need those vitamins, Barns." Mark said, shaking his head. "You look like you're going to be sick."  
  
Leon stifled the urge to snap at Mark that his name was Orcot, not Barns.  
  
Tet-chan-  
At the Petshop-  
  
Time was passing and Ten-chan didn't like it one bit.  
  
"Come on, Pon." Tet-chan shook Pon-chan's shoulder, yet again, but she still didn't wake and only cuddled closer to Chris. Her arms were wrapped around his and her cheek was pressed into his shoulder. "Wake up!" Pon-chan muttered something, but then fell back into a deep sleep. "It's my watch, Pon, go get something to eat." No response and Tet-chan decided to just let Pon-chan sleep where she was. There was no harm in it, after all. With a shake of his shaggy head, Tet-chan rearranged the blankets on Chris' bed so he could cover up Pon-chan, too.  
  
Getting soft in his old age, that's what was happening. Tet-chan didn't know, exactly, how much time had passed between now and when the Count's human had been killed, but he knew that time had passed. It was quite the revelation. Animals do not think as humans do and time is a foreign concept to them. Yet Tet-chan couldn't stop counting the time. He wanted so badly for Chris to wake up and be the same gentle, loving child that Tet-chan cared so deeply about. There wasn't much to do when guarding Chris, few real threats could enter this far into the Petshop, so there was plenty of time to think.  
  
"You mustn't just sulk like that. You'll ruin that pretty face of yours." Ten-chan, the white kitsune, was in the doorway with an amused expression on his face. Ten-chan was very different from Tet-chan. He was small, narrow, and thin, but his eyes constantly danced with mischief. He was dressed in his casual clothes, today. Tall black boots and tight fitting, black shorts with a see-through shirt over a black, sleeveless shirt. He wore an earring in his left ear and had his long white hair tied into a braid that reached to his knees even when standing. The top of his hair couldn't quite be captured by the braid and looked wild, yet strangely fashionable. Far be it from Ten-chan to be unfashionable. In the very center of his forehead, Ten-chan bore what looked like a cast mark. It was his ears, though, that proved he was far from human. His ears were very long and tapered, as no human's would have been. In a word, Ten-chan looked like an incubus. "What are you thinking about that makes you scowl, so?" Ten-chan began to stride around the room even as he spoke, not looking directly at Tet-chan, but stopping to look down at Chris and Pon-chan for a moment before he draped himself in one of the big, comfortable chairs the Count had give them, with his leg thrown over one arm. He slouched and somehow managed to make it look sexy.  
  
"Time."  
  
Ten-chan tilted his head to one side, as if considering the word. "Time? I don't understand." He began to fiddle with one of the rings decorating his fingers, but looked at Tet-chan from his half-opened eyes.  
  
"I didn't think you would." Ten-chan sat up on the bed and looked down at his charge. It was his turn to watch over Chris and Tet-chan took his responsibility seriously. "He's been sleeping for nearly four hundred years." In all that time, Chris hadn't moved once unless he was being moved to have his clothes changed or to be bathed. "That's a very long time."  
  
Ten-chan still didn't understand and showed it with a raised eyebrow. "Time is an illusion." It was said in all seriousness and Ten-chan truly believed it. Tet-chan used to believe it. "Unreal and nothing more than a concept imagined in the minds of humans. Why should time concern you, Tet?" Ten-chan was one of those kinds of people who could radiate sexuality just with a look or gesture and Tet-chan wondered if it was this way for all kitsune or if it was just one of Ten-chan's quirks.  
  
Tet-chan didn't answer, he couldn't think of one. Time. It had always been a meaningless word, but suddenly it meant so much. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years....and beyond. So much time. Instead of answering, Tet-chan sat on the edge of Chris' bed and pulled up his legs so he could sit cross-legged. After all this time, Chris was still perfect, like a tiny, ageless angel locked in his endless sleep. Only the Count would be able to wake Chris, or that was how Tet-chan understood it.  
  
The room was dimly lit, a single candelabra with glowing flames on the tall candles giving just enough light to see the blue painted airplanes on the walls. Tet-chan had gotten used to this over the years, just talking in this lonely room. There was so little else to do. "What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be doing something?" As it was Tet-chan's turn to watch over Chris for a while, Ten-chan should be sleeping or playing with his free time. Though no one left the petshop anymore, the petshop itself was immense in size and there were thousands on endless rooms to play in.  
  
"Why? What do you think I should be doing?" Ten-chan looked puzzled and stood up. He took a step and looked down at Tet-chan, a wicked smile on his face. "Think I should be out spying on the world for the boss? Maybe you think my time would be better spent terrorizing humans." He reached down to touch Tet-chan's face. His hands felt very soft and Tet-chan allowed the intimate caress when he would allow it from no one else. "Where else should I be? The boss doesn't need us as he used to." It was a sad truth. As he was no longer 'technically' the Count, having given over his position to his younger brother, he no longer sold contracts to humans. "However, life isn't over, my friend." They sat together and Ten-chan pulled Tet-chan into a comforting embrace. "Chris would cry if he saw you wasting away at his side. Won't you come hunt with me?"  
  
It was tempting, but Tet-chan couldn't get over his feelings of guilt. "Wouldn't you rather go on your own?" Normally, he only left Chris for a few minutes at a time, whether it was his turn to be guarding the boy or not. Tet-chan hadn't seen sunlight in a very long time.  
  
"Not really." He gave Tet-chan a secretive, seductive smile. "Hunting is so much more fun with a partner." Ten-chan had a habit of sleeping with anyone who struck his fancy. It was no wonder he was so popular, really. Logically, a kitsune was the perfect lover. Ten-chan could be anything...anyone. With his ability to take the physical form of any creature, Ten-chan could be male or female, depending on his mood and the preference of his prospective partner. He could be tall or short, any color hair and eyes, any color skin, he could even determine what species he wished to be. Ten-chan brought his hand away from Tet-chan and rolled over so his head was resting on the pillows next to Chris' head and his knees were over Tet-chan's legs, crossed his legs at the ankles. "So, what's all this nonsense about time?"  
  
"I don't know. Ever since the Count put Chris to sleep, I can feel time moving slowly by. I can't help counting time, now." Tet-chan didn't like the gnawing feeling inside his stomach, like something were trying to eat him from the inside out. "I feel like I've been in this room forever but time keeps rolling on and on. I can't stop it and I can't forget." Tet-chan felt suddenly angry at everything and he wrapped his arms around himself, his long claws digging into the flesh of his upper arms, to prevent himself from lashing out. "I can't stop thinking about it!" It sometimes felt as if he might go mad.  
  
"Have you spoken with the boss about this?"  
  
Tet-chan didn't meet Ten-chan's eyes. Of course, it was the most logical action, to ask the Count for help. Tet-chan found that he couldn't stand to be in the same room as the Count, anymore. The one person he had loved more than his own life and Tet-chan had made him so sad. Everyone in the petshop had blamed the thief who had shot poor Leon, but not Tet-chan. He knew the truth. It was his fault. He was the petshop's protector and it was his responsibility to protect everyone in the petshop, including Leon. Because of Tet-chan's incompetence, Count D had cried. Tet-chan just couldn't forgive himself for that. How could he be so insolent as to ask the Count for help after all the pain he'd caused?  
  
As if he knew what Tet-chan was thinking, Ten-chan nuzzled against Chris' face gently and kept one hand on Tet-chan's hand. "You're sulking again. What will the Count say when he sees those wrinkles on your face?"  
  
'He'll say I deserve them.' Tet-chan thought, morosely. 'If I'd been home, none of this would have happened. I'm supposed to be protecting the petshop, not the other pets and certainly not Leon. I should have made Chris stay home and do his homework, he had plenty to do. If I'd been here when I was supposed to be Leon wouldn't have been killed and the Count would have been happy.'  
  
"That sour faces does not suit you." Ten-chan shifted himself until he was kneeling on the wide bed next to Tet-chan. As with all animals, Ten-chan was very tactile, he liked to touch. So he used both hands to pet Tet-chan's face, running his thumbs over Tet-chan's eyelids and temples, the palms of his hands busy smoothing his cheeks. He put both his hands on Tet-chan's sensitive horns. "I know what you're thinking." Ten-chan muttered, moving close enough that Tet-chan could feel Ten-chan's breath against his ear. "Fool that you are."  
  
Tet-chan snarled at the mild insult, his lips parting to show off his fearsome jaws, but didn't he strike out at Ten-chan. It was impossible to know the kitsune for so long without getting to know that this was just the way he often spoke to people. Tet-chan stood up, pulling away from Ten-chan. "I'm going for a walk."  
  
"Tet."  
  
"What?" Tet-chan paused for just a moment on his way out the door.  
  
"Time is a human thought and one that we should be concerned with. Your imagined guilt and self-pity will destroy you. You are NOT human. You must not think like one." His voice was far more serious than Tet-chan had ever heard it before and that worried him. "Chris will wake and Leon will return to us. The boss has promised and he does not lie to us. You have nothing to feel guilty about."  
  
"Easy for you to say. You were there. You fought for Leon and you even took a bullet for him. I wasn't." Tet-chan left the room without even looking back at Ten-chan. "I didn't just fail Chris. I failed the Count."  
  
Tet-chan passed many rooms on his way stroll through the Petshop, but he stopped at only one. He paused and just watched, peering around the corner of the door.  
  
The Count sat at a computer screen, his delicate features marred by the light of the screen. He was entirely all, it seemed, and sat in the darkness . "Are you sure, Mellow?"  
  
Yes, Count. I am sorry to tell you. No word has been reported. No signs anywhere of any such creature resembling detective Orcot. The soft voice came from the computer. Tet-chan had always been weary of Mellow, the computer-generated fish, ever since she'd come to reside at the petshop. He didn't know what to make of her. She had no scent, though she was definitely alive; she spoke and learned and even had emotions so Tet-chan knew she must be alive. But she had no scent and all creatures had a scent.  
  
"I see. Thank you for looking again, Mellow."  
  
There is no need to thank me, Count. I will continue the search.  
  
Count D's head hung, his hair falling slightly to conceal his face and Tet-chan felt his master's pain as acutely as if it had been his own. Count D had spent countless hours in that room, the only room in the petshop that contained a computer, the computer in which the digital fish lived.  
  
Tet-chan hid when Count D stood and gracefully made his way out of the room to go off and do whatever it was that he needed to do. Though he no longer had dealings with humans or even left the petshop anymore, Count D was far from being free of his responsibilities. Many of his pets had chosen to stay with him, though the years and he cared for them all. There was no doubt someone, somewhere who needed his attention.  
  
When Count D had left, Tet-chan snuck into the computer room. He'd never actually spoken with Mellow. "Hey. Hey, fishie. You there?" Tet-chan tapped on the glass screen with the tips of his long claws.  
  
Fishie? Slowly, the blank screen revealed the image of Mellow. She was beautiful, in a strange way. Large, dark eyes and long hair that waved, as though she really was underwater, and a sweet expression that bespoke a creature who had never lived in the real world. In fact, Mellow's only contact with what Tet-chan knew as reality was through the computer screen. It wasn't a completely empty world she lived in, from what Tet-chan had heard about her, though. She'd even had her heart broken by some human, the man who had created her, when she saw him murdered. Something that wasn't really alive and she had loved so deeply. I don't know you? She seemed to float closer and peered out at Tet-chan. Who are you? Where is the Count?  
  
"He just left and I'm called Tet-chan, by the Count. What does the Count have you looking for?"  
  
He's asked me to look for a man, detective Orcot. The image of Mellow vanished and was replaced by a picture of Leon. It was a photo of Leon in his police uniform, an old picture from before he'd met Count D. Leon looked even younger than when Tet-chan had known him, his hair shorter and his eyes more carefree. I saw him before, he was with the Count when the Count came to me, that first time. The detective who was looking for Jody. She paused and the image of Leon faded, replaced by a somber looking Mellow. That ugly man who brought the thunder that took Jody away from me. The thunder that killed Jody.  
  
It was gunshots, Tet-chan remembered. Jody had been shot to death.  
  
"Did you find him, yet?"  
  
No. I don't understand the Count's urgency, though. The Count tells me that detective Orcot is to be reincarnated. The chances of him looking as he used to look are very slim, almost nonexistent. He is bound to appear different. His name will have changed, also, depending upon whose family he is born into. It is highly unlikely that he will remember any of his previous life. I doubt we will be able to find what body detective Orcot is born into and he will die, again, before he is known to us.  
  
Tet-chan felt his heart stop, just for a moment, at that. "You're wrong, Fishie. The Count won't let that stupid human get away so easily." If he did...if the Count never got his Leon back...where would that leave Chris? Count D said he wouldn't wake ChriLeon was returned to them, so the brothers could live together again. If Leon didn't come back, would Chris ever wake? "How do you search? You can't even leave your screen?" Tet-chan had never before been interested in human technology, but now it could help Chris.  
  
My system is linked with most other computer systems on Earth. Humans are ruled by computers, vulnerable without them. By traveling through these lines of communication, I am able to access much information. If, by some wild chance, there is news of detective Orcot, I will find it. But, I fear we will not find him. Mellow put her hand up and pressed it against her side of the screen. It almost looked as if she were trying to reach him through a window. I have been searching for detective Orcot for many, many years. Though I would hate to give the Count news that would upset him...  
  
"Then don't!" Tet-chan barked, slamming the palms of his hands down onto the desk the computer sat on. "He wants you to keep looking, then you keep looking! You tell him anything else and it'll just make him sad." Tet-chan couldn't stand that. He couldn't bear the sight of Count D crying. "He's our master so you just obey orders, just like the rest of us."  
  
Mellow cringed away, pulled her hand away from the screen and started to visibly tremble. She wasn't the bravest of all creatures. I meant no disrespect to the Count, truly. I would not think of disobedience, not after all he has done for me. Without him, I would have remained lost within my grief. My dear Jody...I will do as the Count asks for as long as he asks. I am his...as you are. As she spoke, Mellow seemed to gather up her scattered courage. You must accept reality, though.. We may never...  
  
"Enough!" Tet-chan half turned away from Mellow. "I don't want to hear your warnings. Just find that human."  
  
Years slowly crawled by.  
  
Tet-chan was asleep when the Count made his announcement. Again, Tet-chan found himself counting time. Days. He understood the concept of time. The ticking of a clock, which he'd once thought nothing more than a mere decoration, seemed to rule his life. Tet-chan grew to hate the clock in the petshop's parlor and began to avoid the parlor altogether.  
  
"Tet-chan, wake up." He woke to Ten-chan and Pon-chan looking down at him. "Big news! Big, big news!" Pon-chan smiled sweetly, though there was a terrible nervousness in her eyes.  
  
"What?!" Tet-chan sat up pushed her back a bit, furious at himself that the child had managed to not only get in the room without him waking up, but climbed up and sat on his chest. 'Disgraceful! And I thought I was suitable to guard Chris!' "Get off me, gaki!"  
  
Pon-chan ignored Tet-chan's irritable grumbling and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "You'll be so happy, Tet-chan! Leon's been reborn! The Count's very sure and we're going after him!"  
  
As always, Ten-chan just grinned . "Easy, Pon." He lifted the raccoon girl off Tet-chan and set her on his own lap. "You know Tet's always grumpy when he wakes up." Ten-chan shifted his gaze back to Tet-chan, who had the uncomfortable feeling that he was being laughed at. Ten-chan used one elegant hand to pull his long braid over his shoulder and tickled Pon-chan under the chin with the end. "We don't want to raise his hopes, do we?"  
  
"Yes, we do!" Pon-chan exclaimed with a giggle. Unable to contain her excitement, Pon-chan launched herself out of Ten-chan's arms and gave Tet-chan another, fleeting, hug before she crawled passed him to where Chris still lay in his endless slumber. She put her arms around Chris and kissed his cheek. "Chris is gonna wake up!"  
  
Tet-chan just gaped, first at Pon-chan, happily snuggling into Chris' side, and then at Ten-chan. "You're...sure?"  
  
Ten-chan, for a moment, looked as if he'd say nothing and just grin, teasingly, at Tet-chan. Then he relented. "The boss told us to wake you. He's sorry to wake you up, but he thought you'd want to hear the news with everyone else. We're to all meet in the parlor. Pon and I already know, so we'll stay with Chris, you go."  
  
Tet-chan stood up, still not quite believing what he'd heard. "Parlor?" He felt like an idiot, but...after so long... "Chris is gonna...."  
  
Ten-chan laughed. "Yeah, yeah. The kid's gonna wake up. Just go, will ya?"  
  
By the time Tet-chan made his way to the parlor, he was nearly the last one to appear in the crowded room.  
  
"Everyone," Count D said in his mesmerizing voice. "I will be leaving Earth shortly. It would be unfair of me to ask you all to come with me, so if you wish to stay on Earth, my younger brother will take you all into his menagerie."  
  
Tet-chan answered, ""We won't leave you, count. We won't ever leave you." He said it quickly, without thinking, really. He was rewarded by a smile for Count D and that was all Tet-chan needed.  
  
"This is not going to be just a pleasant stroll, I must warn you." Count D said. "I...believe our dear detective is no longer on this planet."  
  
Tet-chan barely listened to the rest of what Count D was saying. It didn't matter. He meant what he'd said, he would follow the Count anywhere. How the Count knew where Leon was or why Leon should want to leave the Earth, Tet-chan had no idea. Maybe Mellow had finally found Leon. It didn't really matter.  
  
Leon was back...somewhere. Chris was going to wake up.  
  
Tet-chan felt a smile tugging at his lips. For the first time in a long time, the parlor clock's ticking didn't make Tet-chan want to break down in tears.  
  
to be continued... 


	6. Suspicious

Warning: Leon's got a foul mouth.  
  
How Long Love Chapter 6: Suspicious  
  
Years later-  
Leon-  
  
Dark Danger Drug Dragon Destiny Devil Death Dream D...D...D...  
  
Why did so many things start with the letter D?  
  
Enterprise D.  
  
"Hey, Barns! Wake up, already. We're almost there."  
  
Woken out of a deep, sound sleep, Leon managed to rub his eyes with one hand and groped for his bird with the other. "Get your hands off me." Leon grumbled, not caring if he was being polite or not. "I'm up. I'm up." He groggily looked around and remembered where he was.  
  
All around him, eager young ensigns were excitedly babbling and pointing out the windows of the shuttlecraft. It as a rainbow of colors, not all the passengers of this little shuttlecraft were ensigns. There were the seasoned officers of the Enterprise and Leon saw them all watching the ensigns with amusement and tolerance. Leon tried to ignore them all. He wondered what demon had ever gotten into him and convinced him that Starfleet was a good idea. He'd like to find that demon and give it a good beating.  
  
All right, maybe it wasn't exactly a demon, but Leon wasn't really sure what had made him enter Starfleet academy. He was pretty sure it had something to do with boredom. He had no direction for his life and no plans at all, so, with nothing better to do, Leon had done what many people did. He'd signed up for the academy as soon as he turned eighteen. It was a great chance to escape Mr. Goti's grasp, the man couldn't reach him if he was light-years away on a starship, and he'd be able to find Reggie. It was important to find Reggie, Leon believed. Reggie had done so much for him when they'd been together and, at the very least, Leon wanted to thank him.  
  
Of course it would have been faster to take the transporter, instead of the shuttlecraft, but he'd wanted to get a good look at his new ship. In fact, that was why everyone else had taken the shuttlecraft and Leon was starting to think that he'd been more than a little stupid. He, like everyone else in the universe, had seen pictures of the famous flag ship, the Enterprise. What had gotten into him to make him think he needed a closer view? 'Stupid tradition.' Leon thought as yet another young ensign bumped into him to get a better spot by the window. 'Everyone does it, so I do, too. Stupid. Should have just beamed on board. Maybe these damned drugs are finally starting to kill my brain cells.'  
  
Leon, out of habit, looked into his duffle bag, searching around to make sure he had his pills and his hypospray. Of course he had them. He'd checked four times before he'd left his dorm at the Academy. Still, he wanted to make very sure. Leon had never dared to get his medication tested by any kind of doctor, it was too risky, but he did, sort of, understand what they were doing to him. He didn't have any more of the weird waking dreams which had plagued him so the drug must be some kind of represent. 'Weird isn't the right word. They weren't really bad dreams. Actually, they were kind of nice. I think. Wish I could remember them better. Sure was a Hell of a lot better than reality from what I remember. Be nice if that kind of thing was real.' Leon had laughed at himself for thoughts like that, in the past. People who preferred fantasy over reality generally weren't given good jobs in Starfleet, so he'd have to keep that opinion to himself.  
  
Not that it really mattered. Religiously taking his meds, Leon's last waking dream had been that terrifying time when he'd seen himself as an older man in the mirror of his dorm room. His reflection had yelled and cursed him for being a coward. THAT had been an experience never to be forgotten. Leon still feared that something like that would happen again and really mess up his life. He tried to convince himself that he was perfectly normal, so long as he took his meds. Yup, normal. Absolutely just like everyone else...  
  
"You okay so far, Jill?" Leon peered into the small birdcage at the large bird. It was really far too small for such a big crow, but Leon didn't have much choice. He sure as heck wasn't going to let her be put into cargo transport and the shuttlecraft crew wouldn't allow a bigger cage, saying that it would take up too much room. "Just a little bit longer."  
  
The bird, Jill, squawked loudly in her cage and Leon smiled lovingly at her. Her bead-like black eyes glittered when she turned to look at him.  
  
"Good girl." Leon reached in between the narrow bars of the birdcage with one finger and stroked her midnight black coat of feathers. "You just wait, this won't take to long. Just a little longer and we'll be on our new home."  
  
Leon looked over his shoulder, out the window of the shuttlecraft, and saw Earth from space for the first time in his life. He'd never been off Earth before and he wasn't quite sure that he was doing the right thing. Something deep inside him told Leon that he should be staying on Earth and that he had no business abandoning her for space. He had no reason to be in space, period. After all, there was something important he'd forgotten on Earth. It didn't help matters that Leon had no idea what it was that he'd forgotten, but he thought it might have something to do with a person. Or maybe it was people.  
  
"What am I forgetting?" Leon whispered to Jill. He sometimes wished she could answer him, but that was just another fantasy. Birds don't talk. Even as Leon tried to remember who, or what, it was that he was forgetting, he felt his heart speed up at the sight of Earth getting smaller and smaller. He suddenly wished he'd failed all his exams and had to take a job whitewashing the Academy buildings. At least he'd still be on Earth.  
  
'Stupid. I need the meds again.' Leon wished he had someplace private, but he hadn't had any privacy in hours. 'There's nothing to be scared of.'  
  
Jill swiveled her head to look at him and he could swear that she was angry with him.  
  
'Oh, leave me alone. I'll believe what I like! There's nothing wrong with me anymore.' After reassuring himself, and his beloved pet, Leon turned just enough in his seat so he could look out at the approaching Enterprise, feeling like a gawking tourist all the while. He stared at the immense white behemoth that was going to be his home for probably the next few years. There were hundreds of little windows on the Enterprise with light shining out and Leon wondered if many of those people were awake or if they'd just decided to put on the lights to make the Enterprise look good while it was in dock.  
  
Jill looked distinctly irritated as she flapped her wings restlessly and cawed loudly enough that several people turned to look at Leon.  
  
"Now, now." Leon muttered soothingly. "We'll be there soon. It's just a little further now." Poor Jill had been confined in the cage since they'd left Earth. Back on Earth, he'd been able to leave the window open and let her come and go as she pleased. Now she was going to have to make do with the quarter he'd get on the Enterprise and the holodeck when he got the chance to use it. Part of Leon doubted that it was the confinement that had Jill so worked up.  
  
"She's well behaved. Is she an Earth bird?"  
  
Leon looked up to find a pair of very big chocolate brown eyes looking down at him. She was one of the most beautiful women Leon had ever seen in the life without a doubt. She was very fair with long dark hair that matched the chocolate of her sparkling eyes. A curvy woman with full figure that could never be mistaken for fat, though not very tall. Her smiled was wide and genuine, her lips full. In short, she was a man's dream come true. Well, most men's dreams, anyway.  
  
"Is that supposed to be a joke? It's not funny. She's foul tempered and stubborn. She's a crow." Leon replied, though his spirits sank at the sight of the remarkably beautiful woman. "Jill's just getting anxious being cooped up like this." He looked away from the woman and back down to Jill who was preening herself. "She'll be glad when we get to the ship."  
  
"Is this your first time on the Enterprise?"  
  
Leon looked the woman up and down brazenly, but, despite her sex appeal, he just couldn't bring himself to feel anything. She was the type of woman most men would drool at the sight of, yet Leon just turned away from her, depressed. He was disgusted, not by her, but by his own indifference. 'What the Hell's wrong with me?' He wondered, looking back to Jill. 'I just can't seem to feel anything for anyone.' At one point, Leon had thought that he might be homosexual, but he'd never felt any inclinations to men, either. 'It's like being dead from the waist down. God, I'm depressed.'  
  
"Yep." Leon answered casually and tried to look as nonchalant as possible. "I've never even been in space before." Maybe if he acted like there was nothing wrong with him, she wouldn't guess. If he acted like a normal man she wouldn't think he was weird.  
  
The dark haired woman waited for a moment, apparently waiting for him to say more, but when he didn't, she said, "You don't seem at all happy. In fact, you seem just a bit depressed." The curvy woman sat next to Leon and looked at him with a soft smile and Leon was instantly suspicious. "Do you want to talk?"  
  
"I always want to talk." Leon smiled brightly. "But there's nothing wrong with me." He was trying to be as charming as possible, but when she didn't answer, Leon looked away from her at back out at the Enterprise as it drew closer and closer. He didn't like it when people took him too seriously and he really needed to take his medicine. The terrible feeling of fear was growing as they got further and further from Earth. The nagging feeling of having forgotten something still ate away at him. If he didn't take the meds soon, the dreams would start up again and he might get lost in them this time. That wouldn't be a good way to start his career.  
  
The woman didn't look as if she believed him. "Well, if you change your mind, I'm counselor Deanna Troi, I'll be available on the Enterprise. Feel free to stop by my office for...where are you going?"  
  
'Aw, shit.' Leon, suddenly uncomfortable with how close she was, stood up and gathered his things even as he mentally cursed. Now he'd have to wait to take his meds. "Gonna find a quieter seat. You talk to damned much." He'd read all about the Enterprise and its command crew. This was the empath, the one that could feel other people's emotions Leon had heard all. This was the last thing Leon wanted to deal with!  
  
"Oh, sit." Troi sighed with the expression of a woman who'd been through this sort of thing before. She negligently waved a hand at Leon. "You don't have to worry, I can control my mind very well and I'm not looking to get any kind of secrets from you. Whatever you're thinking about is your business and I won't pry. I was just a bit worried. Usually, people are excited about coming to the Enterprise, you just seemed a little down, that's all."  
  
Counselors, in general, were bad enough with their psycho babble and theories that he had abandonment issues, but a counselor who knew what one was feeling was a definite threat. "Don't worry about me, lady." Leon told her, looking out the window, again. "I'll be just fine. I don't need to talk." The fact that he'd already gone though several years of counseling had dulled his taste for them and he hoped that this one wasn't going to find out that he'd been going in the past. She might feel obliged to continue his counseling and Leon didn't think he could deal with that.  
  
"You're lying." She told him in a matter-a-fact tone, but not unkindly. "You're very much afraid right now, but you don't want to admit it. I'm not sure why and I can't force you to tell me, but I will tell you that talking about your fears often helps them to go away."  
  
Leon help Jill tightly with his duffle bag slung precariously over his shoulder. She was way to perceptive. "Screw off, lady." Then he turned and went to the other end of the shuttlecraft, determined that he'd avoid her at all costs for as long as he was on the Enterprise.  
  
Counselor Troi-  
  
Deanna had never been told to screw off before. She wasn't a saint and didn't pretend that the insult didn't irritate her. Irritate? It made her so angry she could barely think. Then, still sitting where she'd been when the young ensign had abandoned his seat she settled for watching him. He hadn't let go of the crow for an instant and, Deanna felt foolish later for thinking such a thing, she was sure that the crow gave her a dirty look as the young ensign walked away with it.  
  
She had felt such overpowering emotions from him, that was what had drawn her to speak with him in the first place. Actually, nearly everyone on the little shuttlecraft were feeling strong emotions, but most of them had to do with excitement and happiness. Only that blonde young man had felt fear and anxiety as well as deep depression, though it seemed he'd refused to let it show.  
  
Maybe it was the fact that he'd had such an unusual pet and that he'd insisted on carrying its cage instead of having it beamed directly to his quarters. Maybe it was the feeling of despair she'd felt from him when they'd first met or maybe it was because he seemed to be working hard to hide something from her. Whatever it was, Deanna knew she wouldn't be happy until she found out what it was about this man that bothered her so much. There was just something about him that didn't seem to...well...fit.  
  
In any event, there was little she could do for him unless he came to her asking for help or unless whatever was bothering him interfered with his duty.  
  
On the Enterprise-  
  
By the time the shuttle craft docked on the Enterprise, Leon had a terrible stomach ache. By the time he and the other passengers had gotten off the shuttle craft, the pain was gut wrenching and it was hard for Leon to walk upright. He kept as far away from everyone else as he could, struggling not to panic. Leon broke away from the tour as soon as the guide's back was turned. Leon knew that he didn't go on duty until the next day, so he had plenty of time to wander around with Jill and explore. First thing was first, though. Meds.  
  
Leon's gut was starting to churn with fear from being away from the Earth. It wasn't just the fear, though. A sharp, stabbing pain nearly made him double over in pain and he realized that he was starting to sweat. He could barely hold Jill's cage, his hands were starting to go numb, and Leon could feel a terrible headache coming on. 'Come on,' Leon told himself. 'Just a little further. Keep walking.' He had to force himself to walk normally whenever he passed anyone and it wasn't easy. Even as the pain got worse, Leon began to think he was hearing voices and did his best to ignore them.  
  
"My dear Detective...it was a dream...surely you do not think...?"  
  
'Not real.' Leon told himself, firmly. He tucked his fingers between the bars of Jill's cage and brushed his fingertips against her feathers to reassure himself of what was real and what was not. 'Not real. It's just my imagination. Oh, shit, that hurts!' Leon had to stop at that point when a jolt of pain tore through him. When it had passed, Leon continued on, breathing heavily. His fear was now full blown panic and anger was burning in the pit of his mind. At last, Leon reached his quarters and went in as quickly as he could, least someone see the tears of pain now running down his cheeks.  
  
Leon dropped his bag and set Jill's cage carefully on the floor before he tore open his bag and searched frantically for his meds. He injected the spray into the crux of his arm and immediately felt the relaxing effects. As it did every time, the world seemed to loose a little color, but Leon could also feel his emotions dulling and becoming easier to control. For a few minutes, the world became foggy, but that passed quickly. It was another of Mr. Goti's improvements on his original drug as he hadn't wanted Leon wandering around in a daze all the time. His fear of leaving Earth faded away into nothing. The pain in his stomach vanished as did the numbness in his fingers, the terrible headache, and his unreasonable emotions. They all faded away like sandcastles washed away by the sea and Leon collapsed, panting, onto the floor, his relief from the pain was that great.  
  
For a few minutes, Leon just lay there on the floor and let himself relax. After a short while, sure that he was back to normal, Leon put Jill's cage on the glass-topped coffee table and looked around at what would be his home for the next few years. It was very...white. Sterile. 'Oh, well.' Leon thought, not really happy. It was going to take real work to make this place comfortable. Maybe a few posters here and there...  
  
Leon turned his attention back to Jill. "You look grumpy day." Leon cooed, unlocking the cage door and letting Jill fly out. She circled the room once before coming to rest on Leon's arm and snapped irritably at Leon's finger. "Yeah." Leon agreed, amiably. "You evil tempered thing. You hate being locked up, huh? Well, we'll go for a walk in just a minute. Just let me get this stuff put away." With a jerk of his hand, Leon sent Jill back into the air where she circled gracefully around the room twice more and then settled, this time on a high lamp which gave her a perfect view of the whole room. After Leon had safely hidden both the hypospray and the container of pills, he called out. "Come on, Jill!" And held out his hand towards her and, as expected, she flew to him at once. "Let's go exploring!"  
  
Their own little tour of the Enterprise probably wasn't as informative as the one the counselor was giving, perhaps, but Leon did discover most of what he was interested in. There was the holodeck and ten-forward and someone important.  
  
Reggie-  
  
Reggie was nervous. It wasn't really earthshaking news, Reggie was always nervous. Even when he sat in Ten-Forward, the 'heart' of the Enterprise, he couldn't help but feel excluded. It always felt like everyone was looking at him and he didn't know why. They weren't, he knew, but it still felt like they were. In fact, Reggie went to Ten-Forward everyday, but couldn't stand to stay for more than about twenty minutes. Most of those twenty minutes were spent sitting alone, drinking very hot tea, and wondering why he was there in the first place. 'I'm sitting here, doing nothing and speaking to no one, because Deanna said I should. Socializing is good for me, she said.'  
  
Reggie glanced over his shoulder and happened to see Deanna walk in, heading directly for Guinan at the bar. He turned around quickly, before she could see him watching her. Reggie sometimes thought he'd do anything for Deanna. Other times, he simply hated her. Her beautiful face and carefree smile were heartbreaking, in a very real way. He wanted to cry every time he looked at her. Having sessions with Deanna were near torture, though he'd never told her why he was unbearably depressed every time he came to see her. He'd once known another girl who had looked just like Deanna, a precious girl.  
  
"Reggie!"  
  
The sudden shout made Reggie spill his tea all over the table and he whimpered at the sight. He was going to have to clean that up and now he had nothing to drink. Wait a minute...? Reggie? That voice...  
  
"Reggie, you bastard!" Reggie was suddenly grabbed from behind. Huge arms wrapped around Reggie, pinning his arms to his side and he was lifted easily up off the chair and spun around in a wild circle before his feet were allowed to touch down on the floor again. Reggie was released and seized him by the arms by his assailant who whirled him around and Reggie found himself starring into very familiar blue eyes. "You don't call. You don't write. I'm gonna start thinking you don't love me anymore."  
  
"Leon!" Reggie forgot about all the people around him and threw his arms around Leon, hugging him tightly. "I didn't know you were coming here. Look at you! Security? I never would have guessed." He had never been so happy to see anyone before in his life! Leon had changed so much in just a couple of years. He was nearly as tall as Reggie, but much more muscular. Leon still had the same boyish innocence that Reggie had thought so charming when they'd first met and the light in Leon's eyes hadn't faded.  
  
"Well, how could I tell you anything, I had no damned idea where you were! It was like you dropped off the planet!" Leon smacked Reggie on the side of the head and Reggie could see that it wasn't an act. Leon really was upset. Of course he was, Leon never lied.  
  
"But, I did...sort of." Reggie gestured around them. "We're not on Earth, remember."  
  
Leon huffed and gave Reggie a gentle push, enough to knock him backwards into the chair he'd just been sitting in. "Smart ass." When he plopped down into the chair opposite of Reggie, Leon took a moment to just look at him, fondly. "Man. Feels like it's been a lifetime."  
  
"Why...why, sit down. Yes. A whole lifetime. I really wish I'd known you were c-coming." Reggie noticed the large bird on Leon's shoulder. She was as haughty looking as ever, as if she owned the world around her and Reggie felt very small under her sharp eyes.  
  
"You look so different, Reggie." Leon leaned forward and put his cheek on his hand, staring at Reggie, unashamed. "Christ!" Leon exclaimed all of a sudden, his eyes widened as if he'd just learned the terrible secrets of the universe. "You're losing your hair!"  
  
Reggie blushed and put a hand to his hair, without thinking. All around them a soft laughter bubbled up and Reggie's blush deepened. He hadn't realized how many people had noticed them. It was no wonder with the entrance Leon had made. He absolutely hated being the center of attention and this sort of thing happened all to often. At least now, Reggie didn't have to worry that they were laughing at him behind his back. This time they were laughing right in front of him. Just when Reggie was thinking it would be a good time to runaway and escape the eyes and laughs,  
  
"What the Hell are you laughing at, freaks?!" Leon slammed both hands down on the table and stood up with a fierce glare on his face as he looked around the room. "Mind your own damned business! Fucking bad manners!"  
  
The room went very quiet and everyone stared, shocked at Leon's outburst, before they turned back to their own tables and kept their eyes carefully away from Reggie and Leon.  
  
"T-thanks." Reggie said, somewhat stunned. It had been a very long time since anyone had bothered to stand up for him. It was more usual that Reggie would just end up abandoning whatever uncomfortable situation he was in. Still he shouldn't be making Leon take such a stand, and on Leon's first day on the ship. "Ummm, we can go somewhere quieter to talk, if you like."  
  
"What?" Leon demanded, sitting down , but not bothering to lower his voice at all. "And let those bozo's get to you? I don't think so. Where were we? Yeah! Your hair! Shit, if Deirdre could see you now..." Leon stopped and paled. "Oh, man. Reggie, I'm sorry...I wasn't thinking."  
  
"No. No, it's alright." Reggie lied. As if he didn't think about Deirdre every day. As if he didn't dream of her. Have nightmares about her that were so terrifying he woke up screaming...no. It wasn't alright. But Reggie kept on smiling. He was happy to see Leon and didn't want to hurt his feelings. Leon had been so young at the time, he probably didn't even understand how much Deirdre had meant to Reggie. "Let's talk about something else, huh? I see you've still got Jill. That's the same bird, isn't it?" Reggie was more than a little surprised. Birds didn't normally live so long, did they? Especially since Leon had confided in Reggie, when they were younger, that Jill had followed him around all his life. Still, Reggie somehow knew that it was Jill.  
  
"It's the same old Jill, alright." Leon reached up, absently, and stroked Jill's feathers, ignoring her attempt to bite him. Jill sat on Leon's shoulder and was looking around the room while he and Reggie talked. Something seemed to catch its attention and it looked over it's shoulder in the way only a bird could. Leon didn't seem to notice and just kept on talking. "They let me keep her through the Academy and I couldn't bare to let her go when I graduated. She didn't object to staying in a cage for a little while and I'll let her fly free in my quarters." Leon's expression turned irritated as he seemed to remember something. "Let's talk about why you didn't so much as send me a message as this time? I was waiting to at least hear you were okay." His expression was just a tiny bit hurt, though he tried to look uncaring about it.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Reggie asked, puzzled. "I sent lots of messages, but you never replied. I thought you were angry with me for leaving you at the Home. You didn't get them?" The blank look on Leon's face was enough of an answer and Reggie could guess what had happened. "I suppose Mr. Goti had something to do with it." Reggie slumped down in his chair, his hands clutched together in front of him. "We missed a lot of time. There was a lot I wanted to tell you about. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen on the Enterprise."  
  
Guinan-  
  
From behind her counter, her hand mechanically wiping nonexistent filth from her bar, Guinan watched the exchange with curious eyes. Unlike the rest of her patrons, who seemed amused by Reggie's friend, Guinan was cautious. There was something about that young man that seemed...familiar. She was sure she'd never seen him before, though she might have been mistaken. Humans all looked the same to her. More than the attention grabbing young man, Guinan found her eyes drawn to the large bird sitting on his shoulder. Her mouth tightened into a thin line and her eyes narrowed. Just looking at it made her angry.  
  
That thing was definitely not a crow.  
  
"Isn't that sweet?" Deanna muttered with a pleased smile when she came to sit near Guinan at the bar. "I don't think I've ever seen Reg so happy. What a nice surprise for him, to have a friend. I've never seen him with any close friends." Then she frowned slightly and went on, "I'm not sure what to think about his friend, though. I met him earlier and he seems like a very angry, confused young man."  
  
"It's a surprise for all of us." Guinan said, more to herself than to Deanna. In all honestly, she wasn't all that concerned with Mr. Barclay's friend. She was much more worried about the bird. Or whatever it was. It took quite a lot to make Guinan angry and that bird managed it. How dare that thing come onto her ship!  
  
"What do you mean?" Deanna asked, innocently unaware of the unpleasant thoughts running through Guinan's mind.  
  
"Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking out loud. You'll have to excuse me a minute. I'll be right back." Guinan turned and headed away from Deanna, and the rest of Ten-Forward, and went into her office, a relatively small room behind the bar, and closed the door behind her. Once she was alone, Guinan turned to the one way window and looked out at her domain, Ten-Forward. With her hands clasped in front of her, Guinan kept her eyes firmly on the black bird and was only a little surprised when it turned and focused directly on her. Of course, it was possible that the bird wasn't looking at her, merely its own reflection in the mirror. Possible, but not likely. "Well?" Guinan said out loud, as if the bird could hear her. "Are you going to come for a chat or not?"  
  
Guinan didn't like that bird being on the Enterprise. She couldn't help the growing feeling of anger, as well as worry, stirring deep inside her. She felt as if that thing had invaded her home. It was bad enough that the people of this ship faced all the dangers that they did, willingly facing down the unknown, but to think that now she had to deal with such a creature of power, but now she had to worry about why such a creature as that would willingly leave its home world. Of course it came on board willingly, how else could it? Certainly there was no way to force such a being to do anything it didn't want to do. If only she knew exactly what it was, then maybe she'd know what it wanted and how to deal with it.  
  
She hadn't missed the fact that the bird stayed close to Mr. Barclay's new friend. That had to be an important clue. The man seemed entirely human, absolutely normal. What would he be doing with such a creature of power? Was it protecting him? Using him? To what end?  
  
"So, you've noticed it, too." The familiar, yet unwelcome, voice echoed in Guinan's ears. "The audacity. Daring to leave its home world without even asking permission. Bad enough we didn't stop the other planet dwellers from entering our territory, but now we've got to deal with things like that? Such arrogance."  
  
"You be careful." Guinan warned without turning to look at Q. "This could be...delicate."  
  
"I'm touched." Q said, sarcastically. "You're worried for me?"  
  
"No. I'm worried for everyone. It couldn't have left Earth without permission of someone and we know it wasn't your people. Right?"  
  
"Right." If anything, his voice soured a bit. "I was SENT to investigate." No doubt that was the source of his irritation. Q hated being told what to do, no matter what the circumstances. "We knew something was happening, but not exactly what." He was suddenly standing next to Guinan without even remembering to use the dramatic flash of light. He only used that when he wanted to make a lasting impression. "I was told not to damage it. Not yet. The continuum wants to know what's going on, first." His tone was grim and more serious than Jean-Luc was ever likely to see Q. "This is bad, you understand. If I can't tell what's going on, someone with equal power to a Q is blocking me." He glanced at her. "Have you heard any rumors?"  
  
"Nothing." Other thoughts haunted her, such as the idea that she now had to be grateful to Q for coming to help. That annoyed her more than anything. At one time, they had been equals. With her own power source, Guinan's powers had once rivaled Q's. Now, with the destruction of her world, Guinan was reduced to living off the charity of the Q continuum. Yes, she was just a bit bitter. If the continuum hadn't told Q to come investigate, she'd be on her own and probably against an enemy she couldn't hope to outclass. When Guinan turned to look at Q, she found that he'd moved again and, this time, sat at her desk with his feet up. "War may be coming."  
  
"Yes. I suppose so." Q's voice was very serious, despite the careless words. "I wasn't expecting this."  
  
"Get your feet off my desk." Q didn't listen and Guinan hadn't really expected him to. "This wasn't supposed to happen. Do you know what that thing is? I can't tell."  
  
"No. Something's blocking me, just as it is you." Q shrugged slightly. "In all honesty, YOU weren't supposed to happen, either. Remember?"  
  
Guinan came very close to hating Q. She didn't hate him, of course. That would have been far to petty an emotion for one of her kind. She hadn't forgotten whose fault it was that she was reduced to living on in a floating metal box in the cold depths of the void. Still...that had been long ago. Best to move on. "It's blocking both of us, that means it was expecting to encounter us, or at least our kind. It's prepared. I'll have a word with the creature."  
  
Q seemed amused by that. "A powerless thing like you? You think you can handle the job?"  
  
"This is my home now. I'll protect it."  
  
"It's your home only by the good will of the Q continuum." He seemed much less bitter about this than many of the Q Guinan had met in her very long life. If anything, he was amused.  
  
"Don't you mean the guilt of the Q?" Guinan bit back, unable to help herself.  
  
"Must we argue semantics? The point is, if that creature turns out to be something dangerous, as we both believe it is, then you really don't stand a chance. Can't you take a guess about what it is? You've spent more time on Earth than I have."  
  
"I have a few suspicions. There aren't many Earth creatures with such power as that. There's a legend about the crows of Earth. They escort the dead to the afterlife, but on rare occasions, they bring the spirits back to the living world." It could be true. Guinan had seen far more impossible things in her long life. Steeling herself, Guinan opened the door of her office and summoned the bird. It launched itself off the shoulder of Mr. Barclay's friend and soared over the heads of everyone in Ten-Forward, completely unseen. Even the bird's blond companion didn't seem to notice it gone, for a moment. A moment was all Guinan needed.  
  
The crow flew through the open door of Guinan's office and landed on the desk, between Guinan and Q, and seemed to bow before them. "Greetings."  
  
Guinan bowed her head, politely, in return. "Greetings. May I ask what you're doing away from your home world?" Best to keep this civil, at least until she knew who this thing was working for and what it was.  
  
"That is my concern and none of yours." The voice was just as proud and arrogant as the bird looked.  
  
"This ship and its people are all my concern."  
  
"Untrue. Humans belong to the Earth." The crows glittering eyes looked at Guinan completely unafraid. "Humans are not your concern."  
  
"True." A flash of light and Q had gone from his reclined seat to standing next to Guinan. She didn't step away from him, no matter how much she wanted to. Even with Q, especially with this particular Q, she couldn't afford to show any signs of weakness. "This ship isn't hers, it's mine. As for the people, they were abandoned, if I remember correctly. Abandoned the moment they left Earth and until they return, putting their feet on Earth soil again, they're mine." He gave Guinan a smug grin. "I'm just letting her borrow them."  
  
'You conceited bastard.' Guinan thought, knowing that Q would be able to hear her thoughts. 'Can't let me forget it for a minute.'  
  
'No. I can't. I don't get to have nearly so much fun with these people since you came here.'  
  
'Deal with it.' Guinan really didn't want to anger the crow, it was too dangerous for the crew of this ship. "What are you?" That was an important question. She couldn't see through its disguise, so there could be anything behind the image of the crow. A dragon, a dog, anything!  
  
"I am myself. I owe you no further explanations." The crow said, its glimmering eyes not giving a hint of emotion.  
  
"Are you forgetting whom you're speaking to?" Q scowled at the crow and kept his arms folded across his chest. He really didn't like being spoken to so disrespectfully. Not that Guinan really cared about what Q liked or didn't like.  
  
The crow met Q's eyes, just as fearlessly as it had Guinan's. "I forget very little. I know what you are." It's eyes shifted to Guinan. "What you both are."  
  
Guinan wasn't surprised. "If you know what we are, then I'm sure you have sense enough to obey us. You don't belong here."  
  
"I belong where my master wishes me to be." The crow gracefully spread her wings. "I will stay here so long as my master requires me, regardless of your opinions." She paused a minute. "However, I assure you, my time here shall not last long. Your questions weary me. Would you ply your force against me?" The careless tone was gone and the crow looked right at them, menacingly. "Do as you wish. But know that should I be forced to leave at this time, the mortal I am with is more valuable, by far, than mine. If his death is discovered to have been at your hands or even caused by your negligence, there will be war."  
  
"Are you guarding him?" Guinan asked.  
  
"No. Merely watching."  
  
"Then why the threats?" Q asked, though his arrogant tone was muted, now. Even he didn't like the idea of war on a cosmic scale. Such a war would not be good for anyone.  
  
"No threats. A warning." The crow replied. "I have no interest in any of the other creatures of this ship, where this ship goes, or what its people do. I have only one interest. Be of good cheer, our paths need not cross more than this once." The crow gave a little hop, turning itself around, before it jumped up, spread its wings and flapped back across Ten-Forward to land on the shoulder of the man it had come in with.  
  
Q and Guinan watched in silence for a moment before Guinan closed the door once again. "Do you know that man?" Q asked.  
  
"No. He's new. You?" Of course Q would know more, it was one of his special talents.  
  
Q concentrated for the barest of seconds before he spoke. "Leon Barns. It's his first day here, he came on board with the other raw recruits. Stupid human customs. He's an orphan and has some kind of unnatural chemical in his body. He deliberately pollutes himself with it. He was in an institution where they force-fed him the drugs and he'd addicted, now. Funnily enough, your Mr. Barclay was there with him, though Mr. Barclay weaned himself off the chemicals once he escaped the institution and Mr. Barns did not." Q stopped and shook his head with the air of someone trying to do a puzzle with one piece missing. "There's nothing special about him, though. He's just a normal human."  
  
Leon-  
  
Leon grabbed Jill as soon as she came back to him and set her on his lap, petting her back. "Something good must have happened." Leon commented to Reggie. "She's very pleased with herself."  
  
"You can tell?" Reggie looked blankly at the bird.  
  
"Yeah. I wonder what it was? Hey, ya know...what are you looking at?" Leon asked when he found that he wasn't the center of Reggie's attention any longer.  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing."  
  
"You're a terrible liar." Leon scowled and turned to face the direction Reggie had been looking in. He groaned when he saw that councilor, Troi, sitting with a dark skinned woman wearing an absurdly huge hat. They both looked towards Reggie and Leon and Leon couldn't help but think that she was talking about him until he saw something he hadn't noticed before. "Reggie...she looks just like..."  
  
"Please," Reggie suddenly bowed over putting his face on his crossed arms. "Don't say it. Trust me, I've already noticed the same thing. A lot. All the time. Every day." When he looked up, Leon saw the grief still fresh in Reggie's eyes. "If Deirdre had lived and grown up, she'd look just like counselor Troi. They only s-share the same faces. Their personalities are entirely different. Deanna's nice, but she hasn't got Deirdre's spirit."  
  
To be continued...  
  
Dear readers: I'm not quite sure where this story's going. I will continue on the two week update schedule, though.  
  
Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed, I'm very grateful. Forgive me if I'm doing anything wrong with the star trek universe, it's not really my best suit. Reginald Barclay is my favorite star trek character, for some reason, so he'll probably stay the focus of the story. 


	7. in another life

How Long Love Chapter 7: in another life  
  
Count D-  
  
The Enterprise was far bigger than D had expected and he smiled with something like pride, though he was sure sofu would disapprove. Humans had built this ship (admittedly with some little help from aliens) and D was proud of their accomplishment. D still remember when humans believed that the sun revolved around the Earth and it was satisfying to see how far they'd come in such a relatively short amount of time. So far from the desecration of the Earth their ancestors had done. Truly, D was proud of them.  
  
Still, this is the first time D had been out of his home, deep in the forests, for many years and his judgment of them could be mistaken. 'I will have to wait to decide if humans have matured at all or if they have simply found more dangerous toys to play with.' D looked out the window of the shuttle craft and saw a glimpse of the moon, shining silver in the ink of the void. It made him sad to look at it.  
  
'The princess and the rabbit are dead. The astronauts kill them.' Oh, Leon had been so angry when D had told that to little Chris. More angry than he'd ever been at D for any of the suspected killings. 'But its true. Those beliefs died when the astronauts found nothing but a rocky wasteland on the moon. How could such beliefs continue to live when there was such proof against them?' Yet, D believed. Perhaps Chris was right and Princess Kaguya and the rabbit Gyokuto still live...somewhere. Gyokuto still powdering medicine for the people of Earth and Kaguya, princess of an immortal race, still leads men astray by her beautiful light. 'I'll make a trip there, one day. To see if they are still there.'  
  
No more time to muse.  
  
The arrived and landed inside the ship where D was certain Leon now lived. There wasn't a doubt in his mind and he knew that the phoenix had something to do with the knowledge, but even D wasn't sure how he knew.  
  
"Welcome to the Enterprise." A cheery looking young man smiled at D as he start down the ramp of the shuttle craft. The young man is saying the same thing to everyone who gets off the shuttle craft and doing his best to be polite, but D could see in his eyes that this was not the job he wishes for. He wished for something greater and D feel reassured by that. For all the changes to the Earth, humans are still basically the same, greedy and ambitious.  
  
D gave a slight bow to the young man before following the other humans onto the Enterprise and could feel the young man's eyes on him as he passed by. It wasn't just that young man, D knew everyone was staring at him. Good. Let them stare. D had no intention of hiding himself amongst the crowds of people on this ship anymore than he had hidden in Chinatown of long ago.  
  
D had not taken more than a few steps before a woman stopped him, stepping in front of him. She was tall and slender with coarse orange hair and a sharp face, but not entirely unattractive as humans go. The woman was neither young nor old, a respectable age of maturity for a human. Her face was pleasantly lined with smile wrinkles and D liked her right away.  
  
"Hello." She said, with a smile. "I'm doctor Beverly Crusher, chief medical officer of the Enterprise. I'm very sorry to have to do this so soon after your arrival, but I wondered if I could have a word with you." She held out her hand, presumably to shake hands, but D declined to shake and bowed instead. He tried not to touch people when he had a choice. "You must be Count D, right?"  
  
"I am. Greetings," D told her, both curious and worried that she already knew him. "I am most pleased to be on this ship. What would you like to talk about?"  
  
"It's just a small detail, I'm sure we can get it all cleared up in no time. Would you walk with me to sickbay?" She looked at a small computer she held in one hand even as they started to walk side-by-side. "I never received any medical history for you and we have a very strict rule about keeping health information on our crew and passengers. In short, I need you to come to sick bay for a physical." She was all business, but still firmly polite.  
  
D certainly wasn't about to subject himself to any such exam. "There is no need." D told her and opened his suitcase just a fraction to pull out the paper he'd brought for just this occasion. It must look like an antique to anyone who sees it, but D's suitcase was very important and he would never go anywhere without it. "I brought such information with me, in the event that it was needed." Without taking his eyes off her, D reached into his suitcase and, after a pretense of searching around, pulled out a paper with all the information he knew this doctor would require. It was D's young brother who had helped him with this. Baby D had not lived with humans for so many long years and not learned what they would need.  
  
"Paper?" Doctor Crusher took the paper as if she'd never touched anything like it before and frowned. "Why didn't your doctor just sent it to us?"  
  
"I find charm in the old ways and I have a distrust of computers." It was only partly a lie. D had never had any doctor examine him, that paper was forged by a customer of his younger brother's in lieu of payment for a pet. "There is no problem with delivering the information this way, is there?" Of course D already knew the answer. Legalities were all important to know and he'd studied them before even leaving home.  
  
"No, it all looks in order." Doctor Crusher answered, looking the paper over carefully. "I'd still like you to come by for a routine check up in the next day or so."  
  
D smiled and closed his suitcase with an audible snap. "I shall consider it, doctor."  
  
"Thank you. Enjoy your stay on the Enterprise, Count D. Or may I call you D?"  
  
"Please, Count will be good enough." D didn't let his irritation show through his smile. There was only one person allowed to call him D. Only Leon.  
  
"Count, then." Doctor Crusher smiled, not seeing D's displeasure, and walked away with her thigh-length blue coat swishing behind her as she moved.  
  
D would not be going for a check up. This isn't like the old days where a doctor would simply check the heart and eyes before declaring one fit. This doctor Crusher would try to take samples of blood and other invasive tests. Those sort of things would cause trouble without a doubt. D continued onto where he knew his 'quarters' would be. It was time to get settled into this new life.  
  
The quarters D had been 'assigned' were plain, white, and very dull looking. Just like the rest of the ship, all gleaming and sanitized. If it hadn't been for the smell of the humans that was so thick on this ship, D wouldn't have been able to stand it. 'Everything looks sterilized. There's no life here.' D thought sadly. Not that what he was given was going to at all influence the way he lived. D took his suitcase to the closet just inside the door of the room. Best to do this where he would be least likely to be discovered. The closet was a perfect place. He set it on the floor of the closet. 'Oh, my beautiful children.' D thought, stroking the side of his suitcase. 'It's time to rebuild our home.' D set the suitcase on the floor and knelt gracefully before it. A soft click of the clasp opened the suitcase and released the power held within. A warm light flooded out of the suitcase and D smiled.  
  
In his quarters-  
Leon-  
  
Leon knew, at once, that something had changed. He wasn't sure what, exactly, but he knew it was something big. He woke from a sound sleep with his heart racing. It couldn't have been a nightmare, Leon hadn't had any dreams for years, not since he'd started taking his medication. Yet he knew there was something different. Not bad, exactly, just different.  
  
Jill was making such an awful row, tearing around the room and cawing her head off. She flew so low that Leon had to duck or she'd have hit him right in the head. "Jill! What are you doing? Calm down!" He'd never seen her act like this before. "Jill! Lights!" When the lights flashed instantly on and Leon rubbed his eyes to clear them, ducking once again when Jill dove straight at his face. "JILL!"  
  
Jill didn't listen, no matter how hard Leon yelled, so he jumped out of bed and began chasing Jill around the room. Of course it was no good and the only thing it accomplished was making Leon exhausted while Jill easily evaded him. He was dashing around so erratically that he didn't notice when he got to close to the doors and they activated, opening before Leon could close them again, Jill flew out into the halls.  
  
"You stupid bird!" Leon yelled, all sleep completely gone from his mind at the panic of having Jill wrecking havoc all over the ship. "Get back..." But it was too late. The doors slid closed and Jill was gone. "Aww, shit!" Leon cursed. His unease of whatever it was that had woken him vanished as he chased after Jill. He was glad he'd worn pajamas to bed, even if it had only been the bottoms. At least he wouldn't be caught streaking on his first night on the Enterprise. Even if everyone did think he was mad as he ran, half-naked, down the halls screaming after his bird. "Jill!"  
  
Guinan-  
  
'He's here.' Guinan bit her bottom lip as she stared out at the stars from her quarters. 'I shouldn't be surprised. Well...there's no putting it off.' She steeled herself for the meeting. This was something she HAD to do, there was no getting around it. A pity they were still orbiting Earth, though it was for only a short time. She debated whether or not to wait until they got further from Earth, but it wouldn't do much good. No matter how far they got from Earth, this newcomer would always be more powerful that she was. Unless, of course, Earth miraculously exploded in the next few hours. That was really too much to hope for. Shame.  
  
"Are you going out?" Jean-Luc asked when Guinan came out of her quarters and started through Ten-Forward. "At this hour?"  
  
"Don't I ever get a night when you aren't here?" Guinan wanted to stay and talk with Jean-Luc, her favorite human, by far. There just didn't seem to be any time for it. Despite that, she walked in his direction and they ended up looking out at the stars together. It seemed that they did that a lot. "I thought you be on the bridge, getting ready to set off. Where are we going again?"  
  
Jean-Luc Picard was not an old man, but he was old enough to have lost all his hair and have worry lines etched onto his face. He wasn't tall, but seemed to fill a room when he wanted to. The man should have been an actor, Guinan had always thought. Depending on his mood, Jean-Luc could easily vanish into the crowds or draw all eyes to him, just by walking in the door. Not everyone knew about his soft side, though Guinan had seen it right off. Then again, she'd known him for many, many years. Since he'd been a child, really. It was a wonder that Jean-luc had never asked why she didn't seem to age.  
  
"I'm not sure. The orders haven't come in, yet. They should be here by morning." Jean-Luc smiled in anticipation and at once his strict expression vanished and he looked like a small child let into a candy shop. It wasn't often that anyone was able to see Jean-Luc like this and Guinan was pleased to be one of the few he shared his emotions with. "We'll have plenty to do in the meantime, though. Beverly has two new doctors she wants to run though the paces and a few new nurses. Mr. Worf has nearly twenty new security officers and he says he wants to test them, personally, to see if they're up to his standards. I doubt he'd find three he doesn't feel he needs to be retrained. Not to mention that Geordi has some fine-tuning to do, though he hasn't told me exactly what that means. We'll be ready by the morning. Right now, I'm just enjoying the peace. Tomorrow, anything might happen."  
  
"It could happen right now." Guinan studied Jean-Luc in the soft light of the artificial night of the ship. He was a proud and good man and, best of all, he was curious. Strangely enough, Guinan appreciated that quality. It proved that he wasn't at all closed minded, with the exception of the Borg and Guinan whole-heartedly agreed with him on that point. She wanted to tell Jean-Luc what was going on and beg him to delay setting off and then tell him about the newest passenger. He should be aware of the danger. Really, though, there was nothing Jean-Luc could do about it, one way or the other. In fact, as he was human, he probably wouldn't notice anything odd about the visitor at all.  
  
"What do you mean?" Jean-Luc looked at her curiously, though he still smiled. "Are you expecting something to happen?"  
  
All the trust in that smile made Guinan feel just a little guilty. He trusted her to tell him what was going on when something this big could affect his ship and crew. This was one time Guinan was going to have to betray that trust. "Nothing. I'm just babbling. You'll excuse me." Guinan smiled gently. "I really don't think you need me here, so I'll be off."  
  
Jean-Luc nodded politely and went back to admiring the beauty of the void.  
  
Out of curiosity, and maybe just a touch of fear, Guinan made a pit-stop before she went to see the visitor. It was the zoological study room, a small zoo with specimens of animals from many different planets. Of course only small, harmless creatures were kept, for safety's sake. Ordinarily, Guinan didn't like to see the animals, they only brought back painful memories of her own beloved creatures, now long dead. This time, she wondered what the reaction of the animals would be. As it was, there were only a few Earth animals in the zoo. There was a small, green and brown garden snake. A large white rat in a glass cage next to preying mantis. All of them seemed to be acting strangely, at least Guinan thought so. The rat was running itself frantic in circles around its cage. The snake was acting with far more energy than Guinan thought reptiles ever showed, crawling rapidly around it's container and poking its nose against the glass, as if to find a way out, and even reaching up far enough to bump its nose against the top of the glass container. The preying mantis was snapping its claws shut very rapidly, seeming to grab invisible things from the air.  
  
"Odd, isn't it?"  
  
Guinan looked up and found one of the zoological scientists also looking at the Earth animals. "You think so?"  
  
"Oh, yes. Especially the snake. He's usually so docile. It's kept a cold enough temperature that he really should be sleeping right now, I don't understand what he thinks he's looking for. I'll have to check. Maybe there's a scent that got in there somehow. He might think there's something good to eat and he just can't find it. No. That shouldn't be it, either. He was fed just a little bit ago and snakes usually ignore prey unless they're hungry. The insect's a lot more active than normal, too. It isn't hungry and its not mating season for any of these animals. As for the rat, I'm going to have to sedate her."  
  
"Why? Don't rats usually like to run around like that?" Guinan knew the answer before she'd asked the question. Still, the question was expected and there was no point in drawing attention to herself.  
  
"They do like running around, but not like this. She's been running in circles for two hours and hasn't stopped for a minute. She's going to injure herself." There was real concern in the young woman's voice and she leaned forward, tapping the rat's glass cage with a fingernail, but it didn't even pause. "Poor thing."  
  
Guinan left then, without so much as a goodbye. There was a very good reason why the Earth animals were all acting so strangely. They were excited. Overjoyed. There wasn't a word that could do the emotion the animals were feeling justice? Their god (for lack of a better word) was visiting. How could they not try to escape their confinement and seek him out? Even as she walked down the halls, Guinan had a foreboding feeling of something great and terrible getting closer. Closer.  
  
A rustle behind her and Guinan turned in time to see the crow, or whatever it was, rush passed her, racing down the corridor. She didn't have time to take even one step before a man, a blonde human man, ran after the crow with feet and chest bare and an irritated expression on his face. As he passed Guinan time seemed to slow for a brief instant and she took a good look at his face. She'd seen him only briefly in Ten-Forward, but it was definitely the same man the crow had said it was watching. The instant passed and time started again. The man ran by without even glancing at Guinan, he was so occupied with trying to catch the crow.  
  
A few steps more before Guinan turned a corner and stopped walking. Her breath caught in her throat and she stepped back a bit. The blonde man was still as the dead, frozen as he stared at the visitor. Neither said a word and Guinan looked into the eyes of the visitor, a Kami from Earth. She couldn't penetrate them anymore than she could Q's eyes. Secrets hidden in those eyes, secrets meant only for Earth. He didn't look at her, gave no sign that he even knew she was there. The crow had landed on the Kami's outstretched hand, flapping its wings as it landed elegantly, then turned with a hop to face the blonde man.  
  
Something about the situation seemed horribly...intimate. Guinan couldn't bring herself to interfere.  
  
D-  
  
'As beautiful as ever. My dear Leon has appeared when I go to look for him.' D could barely contain his smile. He wanted to run to Leon, to throw his arms around his human and hold him forever. Melodramatic? Yes. Honest. Yes. Wise. No. There was something odd about Leon's stunned expression and D didn't want to confuse or frighten Leon.  
  
"Do I know you? You look kinda familiar. I could swear we've met before." Leon scratched the back of his head in a painfully familiar gesture.  
  
D bit back a cry of grief and rage at Leon's words. Leon didn't remember him, at least not entirely. It wasn't just Leon's loss of memory that angered D, that was really only a small part of it. Memories could be regained and to be reincarnated was such a traumatic experience, some distortions of the mind as well as confusion was inevitable. D could fix those things, though. He could bring back Leon's memory or make Leon forget that this whole new life of his had ever happened. What made D angry was the deliberate pollution. There was something foreign in Leon's body and D knew that it was an unnatural substance. It was human-made and, therefore D considered it a willful threat to Leon. D could smell it, some pungent, abnormal smell leaking from Leon's pores and even from his breath. Someone had poisoned Leon.  
  
D glanced quickly to the female by his side, but she met his eyes evenly and said nothing. She held his arm lightly and D could see the wisdom and wicked glee that he had always seen in her. A truly magnificent creature, the phoenix. An immortal, older even that D, and she was as beautiful as any goddess. Her hair was tied into two coils on top of her head and there was both malice and kindness in her eyes. She had seen everything on Earth, there were no secrets from her. The phoenix had great wisdom but it was tempered by cynical amusement at the expense of the creatures she saw around her. D had many questions for her. What had happened to Leon in this life and who had poisoned him? Why did he seek to leave Earth by roaming into the void? Answers would come later.  
  
"Perhaps we've met, in another life." D smiled at Leon as if nothing had changed between them.  
  
Leon frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but an announcement rang out over some kind of intercom and Leon looked up sharply. All new security personal, report to the main security office for inspection. You have six minutes. Though the voice was soft spoken, there was an air of definite command there.  
  
Leon paled and D realized that his love of protection people must have carried though to this life and he'd become a security officer of this ship. "Crap." Leon muttered. It seemed that his language hadn't improved any.  
  
It was too perfect of an opportunity. "Please," D bowed his head slightly to Leon. "Go on your way, but return here," D gestured to the door of his quarters. "when your business is finished. I will look after your friend."  
  
Leon's eyes lit up in such a heartbreakingly familiar way. "Really? Hey, thanks. Ya know...shit! I'm going to be late. I gotta run!" Leon turned on his heel and ran, just as he'd appeared and vanished again.  
  
The sudden loss of Leon was like a punch in the stomach for D and he thought he did very well not to double over in agony. No time for that. There was no reason to be impatient, not after all the waiting D had already done. He could afford to wait for Leon. He could wait another lifetime.  
  
"Leon is like mold." The Phoenix said lightly to D. "He grows on one, doesn't he?"  
  
"True." D knew suddenly that he wasn't alone and he cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. It should have been obvious, but D had been too enraptured by finding Leon again. That was potentially dangerous and could not be allowed to happen again.  
  
"You've noticed our audience?" The phoenix asked, her tone still light. "I've made her acquaintance. She's no threat, one of the wanderers. No power. However, there is one of power with rights over this ship. One of the Q questioned me about my presence here."  
  
"What did you tell him?"  
  
"Very little, Count. I told them both that I have no interest in this ship or crew except for the one that I am watching. They were not pleased, by either my presence or my answer, but have done nothing to interfere with myself or Leon."  
  
"I see." D gestured to the closed door of his quarters and the phoenix, politely, took her cue. She gave him a little nod before heading into the quarters where Leon would be certain to find her later. Before Leon came back, though, D wanted to know everything that had happened to Leon in this life and the phoenix, who had been there virtually every moment of Leon's life, was the perfect one to tell him. Perhaps over a nice cup of hot tea. First of all, though, he would have to deal with his visitor. "May I help you?"  
  
She stepped out from around the corner and didn't show any sign of shame that she'd been listening at all. She had a stern, serious face, but pleasant eyes, and D was actually surprised to find her here. "Actually, yes." The woman folded her arms over her chest and stepped closer. "I wasn't expecting visitors. You and your crow came as quite the shock. I was just wondering what your intentions were."  
  
So blunt. "Would you care to step inside? Such things should not be discussed in public." D stepped aside slightly and motioned for her to enter his quarters. It didn't surprise him that she referred to the phoenix as a crow. That was the disguise the phoenix was using and, as she wasn't a Kami of Earth, the woman would see only the shape that regular humans were meant to see. "It has been many years since we've spoken."  
  
"I heard about your parent. My condolences." She said, stepping into the quarters. "You were a child when I met your parent, that first time."  
  
"That only time." D's papa hadn't been pleased when this alien creature had shown up on his doorstep, requesting sanctuary. That was a long time ago and, true to what she'd said, D had been a very small child.  
  
Flashback-  
  
It was a very quiet morning when she came to the pet shop, then located in France. There was a knock on the door and little D rushed to answer it. It was his job to let the clients in and escort them to the parlor where his papa waited for them. D was proud of his job, just as he was proud when his papa would tell him that one day he would be responsible for the pet shop and all the darling pets. D answered the door with a smile, which faded quickly on seeing the woman who stood before him.  
  
She was ugly. D didn't even know why he thought that, but she was. Unspeakably ugly and he backed away from her, frightened. Never had he seen anything so horrible as the woman before him. She wasn't very tall and had skin the color of chocolate, not very different from many of the human clients who'd come to the pet shop in hope of aid from D's papa. Her hair was worn up in a stylish bun on her head, like so many ladies of upper society wore their hair. To go along with her look of upper class, her clothes seemed to be in the latest fashion, a floor-length gown of dark red with a high collar and sleeves right down to her wrists, despite the terrible heat of mid-summer. The woman smiled, nervously. "Hello. Would you be Count D?" She spoke perfect French, but D didn't even like her voice. It sounded wrong.  
  
Little D shook his head and took another step backwards. "This is my papa's shop. I am just helping."  
  
"May I speak with your papa, then?" She seemed to notice his fear then and tried to reassure him. "You don't have to worry, I don't bite."  
  
Little D wasn't so sure about that. His job was to escort the clients to papa, but little D knew he didn't want this woman in the pet shop. He wanted to tell her to go away, but papa would probably be very angry with him and little D didn't like it when his papa was angry with him. Perhaps he should just close the door and hope she'd go away. His hands tightened into fists so tightly that his little fingernails sliced into the palms of his hands and his smile, which his papa had taught him to always wear in front of clients, slid off his face. "I...I do not think..."  
  
"Go to the parlor, little one."  
  
Little D was saved from the choice by his papa's voice and looked up, over his shoulder. He was wonderful, in little D's eyes. Without a bit of fear, little D's papa kept his eyes firmly on the woman at the door. With an elegant wave of his arm, little D's papa gave the woman a little bow and motioned her to enter. "Forgive my offspring." Papa said when the woman had entered. "His manners need refining."  
  
'He's angry.' Little D thought, alarmed. 'With me or the woman?' He slowly backed away from the two adults and went to do as he was told, wait in the parlor. As he did, little D didn't take his eyes off the visitor. He couldn't help but think there was something terribly wrong with her being there. Little D only went so far as the parlor doorway and peeked around the corner. Though little D's papa had let the woman step into the pet shop, it seemed that he was unwilling to let her in any further and stood firmly in her path, least she try to take advantage of his hospitality.  
  
The woman didn't smile now, but had a blank, set look on her face. Whatever they spoke about, little D never learned. He watched, from the doorway of the parlor, but they spoke so softly he couldn't hear a word of their conversation. Neither moved while they spoke, though little D could tell his papa was getting more and more upset as the conversation went on. Whatever the woman was thinking, little D had no idea. Finally, the woman spoke with a slightly raised voice.  
  
"I'll petition your elder."  
  
Papa stood a bit straighter, if that was possible. "As is your right. You will find him even less amiable than myself."  
  
"I don't need amiability." The woman sounded very angry. "I need sanctuary."  
  
"I suggest you go. May you live in interesting times."  
  
The woman froze and her mouth dropped open just a little, in shock. Even little D was shocked at what his papa had said. Without another word, the woman turned with a rustle of her long gown and walked out, very dignified.  
  
"Papa?" Little D stepped out of his hiding place, his hands folded behind his back, and looked up at his papa. When little D's papa didn't answer and kept staring at the now closed door as if he thought the woman might open it again, little D went closer and gave his papa's long sleeve a small tug. "Papa? Who was that?"  
  
"Never mind, my little one." Papa smiled down at little D and took his child's hand. "It is not important."  
  
Little D smiled at once and moved closer to his papa, putting his free hand on his papa's robes. Little D was young, but not stupid. He knew that the woman was someone important and he knew his papa didn't like her. He knew he was afraid of her and that whatever she'd come to talk about was just as important as what she was. However, little D loved his papa and wanted to obey him. He loved the feeling of his papa's hand on his and the way his papa's smile made him feel so happy inside. He wanted his papa to keep smiling at him. "Why did you curse her?"  
  
"Because I am offended that she dares to walk on the Earth. That one has no right to be here and she come to my door expecting favors simply because she is.... She should not be returning." The older Kami brushed his fingernails against little D's face. "My ugly child. My only offspring. Deformed..."  
  
Little D was hurt, but not surprised. His papa often was sidetracked like this. Little D stayed silent and wondered why he had been created so malformed. His papa was perfect, as was sofu. Why should D be any less? It was a great shame, the pain he caused his papa just by living, but little D honestly believed that if he was good enough, his papa would one day see passed his mismatched eyes and his other failings.  
  
End flashback-  
D-  
  
D shook himself out of his memories. His wish had never come true. For the rest of his life, D's papa had always thought of him as some kind of failed experiment. He had learned the truth about the woman much later, and not from his papa, but from his sofu.  
  
"I'm called Guinan." The woman seemed all business. "What should I call you here?"  
  
"You may call me Count D."  
  
"I was led to believe that title had been passed to the youngest of the Kami currently on Earth. You are not he."  
  
"My younger brother is caretaker of the pet shop, but I will not have the mortal creatures of this ship thinking they can be familiar with me. I will use the title, Count, while I am here. Won't you come in?" D walked to the closet where he'd 'set up shop', so to speak. It was all set up, now, but still safe enough to have visitors. Little Chris was still deep in his induced sleep and wouldn't be woken just yet, no matter how impatient Tet-chan was getting. They would only be on this ship for a short while and then D would go back to Earth, taking Leon with him. Now that he knew for certain Leon was alive and well, they could be together again. This time, D wouldn't make the same mistake he made before. This time, he would tell Leon exactly how he felt.  
  
"This will be fine, thank you." Guinan looked at the closet door and probably knew what lay behind it, from the expression on her face. "I wasn't exactly welcomed the last time I paid your clan a visit, so we'll keep this short. Why are you here?"  
  
"To collect my human."  
  
"The eldest Kami of Earth formally gave up all rights to humans if they were not on Earth. That was his free choice. Are you going against your elder? It'll take a while for you to collect all the humans scattered around the void, if that's what you're intending."  
  
D had been ready for this argument, though he hadn't been expecting to argue it with a member of her clan. He had thought that he would meet one of the Q clan. "My sofu's judgment stands. I would not speak or act against him. However, I am not here for just any human and I have no intention of trying to lure them all back to Earth. I am here to retrieve one human. MY human. He belongs to me."  
  
"That's all? Just one human?"  
  
"Just one."  
  
Guinan's eyes hardened and D could easily see her as she must have been before her power had been taken from her. What a formidable creature she must have been. It really was a shame to see her brought down like this and forced to live off the mercy of other clans. How lonely she must be.  
  
"Your human?" Guinan asked with a raised eyebrow. "You've claimed him? Then, may I ask, why did you have to come to fetch him? He should have been bound to you." She had a valid question and one that could hurt D's argument about his right to take Leon.  
  
If she decided to be stubborn about it, D would find himself in the position of having to fight for Leon. Fight, he would, even if he had to fight every clan in existence, if Guinan tried to stand between himself and Leon. D wasn't sure he wanted to explain the complicated and still painful story that led up to him being in the void. He still had nightmares about finding Leon covered in his own blood. Leon's terrified voice as death came for him...those memories were still too close. "There was an accident."  
  
"Really?" She didn't believe him, not that she had any reason to. "Well, whatever you're here for, let me give you some advice. I'm very fond of these people. I'll do anything to keep them safe. Absolutely anything. If I have to reveal who and what you are, I will. I don't care if they find out what I am. In just a few hours, this ship will leave Earth's orbit and head out into the void. Your power will diminish very quickly. You won't be able to affect the minds of even the humans on this ship. I expect that, outside your territory," Guinan gestured to the still closed closet doors. "You'll be as powerless as I am. The one you're looking for is that boy, the blonde one? I saw him with your crow, or whatever it is. You can have him. Take him and go."  
  
"Somehow, I expected more of a fight."  
  
"Would you rather I petition the Q clan to get you off this ship? This way is better than a war. I don't think anyone would want that." Guinan scowled, her eyes seeming to go empty, then said . "I'm not happy about it, but I'd rather have you take that one boy and get off this ship than hang around and cause trouble. One of the Q has already paid me a visit since the arrival of your human and that bird. I'd rather he didn't come back." Guinan turned and stalked out of D's quarters.  
  
'My, but she was a bit tense. Perhaps she was ready for a fight, too.' It was times like this that D missed darling Q-chan. He could have had Q-chan follow Guinan and make sure that she wasn't going to be a danger. It was for the best, though. Q-chan was safer staying on Earth at the new pet shop and helping D's younger brother. No matter. 'She's right. Best to get this over with. All I have to do is wait for Leon to return and then we can go back to Earth together. I will convince him, make him remember his other life, if I must. He will come with me. I'll do whatever I must to get him back to Earth.'  
  
There was a soft laughter and D turned to find that Ten-chan had left the closet where D had left him. He sat on the floor with his legs crossed and looked very amused. "So, there are other Kami besides your illustrious family? I never would have guessed."  
  
"You weren't supposed to." As one of the most intelligent, as well as curious, pets, Ten-chan was usually the first one to figure these things out. "I asked you to wait inside."  
  
"I heard voices. I wanted to see who you were talking to. Besides, a lady came in and sat in your parlor. I thought you'd want to know." Ten-chan stood and stretched his arms high over his head, grinning all the time. "How long are we going to stay here, boss? Mind if I explore a bit?"  
  
"Lady? Ah, the phoenix. Yes." He had duties to take care of before Leon returned. "We won't be here long, just until Leon returns. There's no point in wasting your time exploring."  
  
"There's never waste when it comes to satisfying my curiosity."  
  
"As you wish, but don't let yourself be noticed and don't be too long."  
  
Ten-chan bowed low before he dashed out of the room, into the corridors of the Enterprise.  
  
Hours later-  
Leon-  
  
'Damn...stupid...ass...I could kill all Klingons.' Leon's dark thoughts were just letting off steam and he felt he had a perfect right to let off a little steam. For the passed four hours, Leon's new immediate superior, Lieutenant Worf, had been running them all ragged in the gym. The Lieutenant hadn't been satisfied with Starfleet's approval of his new ensigns physical readiness for their new duties, so he'd decided to test them all. Leon had never been so tired in his entire life and he still couldn't go to bed. He still had to go get Jill from that guy. Even in all the excitement of going though the Lieutenant's grueling tests, Leon hadn't forgotten that man. There was something familiar about the man, but Leon was sure he'd have remembered meeting a person like that.  
  
He couldn't go straight to the man's quarters, though. Frankly, he stunk. Leon was covered in sweat and he didn't want to visit and have the stranger smelling him like this. A quick shower would wake him up a bit and he'd be a little more respectable. Just outside his quarters, Leon found Reggie leaning against the corridor wall, waiting for him.  
  
The moment Leon came into sight, Reggie broke into a smile. "I heard Lieutenant Worf call out for everyone. I thought you might not be back for a while."  
  
"And you waited out here? Why didn't you just go in? I told you I'd program the door so you could get in when you wanted to." Leon had very few people he actually trusted and Reggie was one of those few. He felt perfectly safe giving Reggie free access to his quarters.  
  
"Thought it might be rude." Reggie muttered, ducking his head with embarrassment  
  
Leon rolled his eyes and grabbed his friend by the arm. "Rude? Get in, will ya? I gotta take a shower, but I'll be right with you." He nearly shoved Reggie into the quarters and started stripping off his clothes as soon as the door closed behind them. Having been roommates for several years had stripped away most modesty that Leon had, at least around Reggie. They'd seen each other naked often enough that modesty seemed a bit pointless. Hell, they used to shower together in the big communal shower of Mr. Goti's home. That had taken a bit of getting used to. There were two huge shower rooms, one for the girls and one for the boys. Each room had about a dozen shower stalls and since everyone was required to shower together, it wasn't unusual to have to share a shower stall with someone. Since they knew and trusted each other, it seemed only natural that they ended up sharing.  
  
Reggie just nodded. "Do you want something to eat? I can get something from the replicator for you."  
  
"Naw." Leon said, heading into the bathroom. "I can't eat before I sleep. Makes me sick. So, why'd you stop by? Just want to chat or did you get lonely?" By now, Leon was in the bathroom and could barely hear Reggie at all. "Speak up!" He called when he heard nothing more than a mutter from Reggie.  
  
"I said, I couldn't sleep and thought you might want some company on your first night." Reggie yelled back. The conversation died when Leon stepped into the shower and resumed when he came out looking for his clothes. Thoughtfully, Reggie had already gotten a new set of clothes and tossed the trousers to Leon. Leon was grateful that Reggie knew him well enough not to give him another uniform. Instead, he'd gotten a set of civilian clothes, green trousers and a tanned shirt, for Leon. "Where's Jill?" Reggie asked. "I haven' t seen her at all and she's usually always right there when someone comes in your room."  
  
Leon chuckled. "She's being bird-sat. You should see this guy. I've never seen anyone like him." After pulling on the trousers, Leon reached for the shirt only to have Reggie seize his arm in an almost painful grip. "Reggie, what the...?!"  
  
Reggie was staring at the crux of Leon's elbow, his eyes wide and angry. Leon realized his mistake too late and pulled back his arm with a jerk. "Leon..."  
  
"It's not what you think, Reggie."  
  
Because he was so thin and unassuming, everyone tended to think Reggie was weak physically. That was far from the truth. Reggie lurched forward, grabbing Leon's arm again and pushing him up against a wall. Leon could have pushed away, at least he was pretty sure he could have, but he didn't want to hurt Reggie. "I think it looks like track marks on your arm." He stretched Leon's arm out to get a better look. Small, faint circles decorated Leon's arm from the last several times he'd given himself the medication. They faded with time, but three were easily visible. "Tell me I'm wrong, Leon. Tell me you aren't still taking Mr. Goti's drugs."  
  
Leon couldn't meet Reggie's eyes. "It's my business, okay? You know I can't deal without them." If anyone should understand, it was Reggie.  
  
Reggie went pale and released Leon. He took several backward steps away from Leon, almost stumbling, before he stopped and put his face in his hands. "God...Leon, why didn't you go through rehab, like everyone else?" His voice was weak and he sounded as if he might cry. "They shouldn't have even let you in the Academy. You changed your own records, didn't you?"  
  
"The day I heard they'd caught Mr. Goti and then let him go free. Reggie, this isn't something just to make me feel good, I NEED them!" Leon felt like he was defending himself and he didn't like it. Why didn't Reggie understand? He knew what would happen if Leon stopped taking them.  
  
"The Federation doctors could have found a way to get you passed that. If they find out you've falsified your records, though, you'll get court marshaled. Your career will be over and they'll make you go through rehab, anyway. You don't even know what you're taking, do you? Have you had the guts to ask someone to analyze them?" Reggie took his hands away from his face and he was terribly angry, glaring at Leon. "Those things could be doing anything to you! They could kill you tomorrow. You know what they found in the kids they sent through rehab? Cancer, diseases, weakened...weakened hearts." Reggie's fury died very suddenly at that last statement and he got a far away look in his eyes.  
  
"You went through rehab?" Leon asked, keeping his voice quiet. "What did you...er..."  
  
"My liver was rotting and had to be replaced. I had a brain tumor and I was going blind in my left eye." Reggie looked very old when he spoke. "Leon, you have to tell doctor Crusher."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Leon!"  
  
"No!" Leon turned away from Reggie and pulled his shirt on quickly. He was glad he'd taken his medication after he'd left Jill with that guy, when he was getting dressed to report to Lieutenant Worf. It would look very bad if he had to take it in front of Reggie. "Without them, I'm nothing more than a vegetable, so what does it matter? I'll die one way or the other. At least this way I get to pretend I'm alive."  
  
Reggie's scowl deepened. "That's selfish. You mean it doesn't matter if you live or die?!" It was the closest Reggie had ever come to yelling when he wasn't on the drugs Mr. Goti gave him. "You're just going to let yourself die? Well, think about the bigger picture for a minute. You accepted a job as security for a ship load of children. If something goes wrong, if the drugs make you lose your mind all of a sudden, what's going to happen to the people you're supposed to be guarding? People could get killed because of you, little kids!"  
  
"Look," Leon took a deep breath to keep from yelling back. He'd never seen Reggie like this. Never seen him so worked up and it was the longest speech he'd ever heard from Reggie. Not to mention that Reggie hadn't stuttered once while he was speaking. "I don't want to fight, Reggie. I'm not changing my mind. Yeah, your doctor Crusher might be able to help, but she probably won't. I won't spend the rest of my life staring into space, drooling. If something goes wrong, there are always more security personnel. I won't even be missed."  
  
"I'd miss you." Reggie's jaw was set, but he took a minute to calm himself down and put his arms around himself. "You're as thick-headed as always."  
  
"Yeah. I guess so. Come on. I've gotta get my bird, you can keep me company." Leon set off briskly, not eager to look at Reggie's angry face, but not really wanting his friend to leave, either. "Wait till you see this guy."  
  
To be continued...  
  
Evil Little god of Writing: Hmmmm....now here's a fic with potential. Drugs, child abuse with the drugs, and the possibility of war on a cosmic scale. Not to mention human eating animals roaming the halls of the Enterprise.  
  
Little Demoness: They aren't wandering the halls! They're all being very good and staying with D.  
  
Evil Little god of Writing: Bwhahaha! For now, you mean. You just wait.  
  
Dear readers, I'd like to thank everyone who has been reviewing.  
  
Yami Kaosu: I hope you still like this story, even though it is a crossover. I have to admit, I love crossovers. I'll read those before anything else and they're very challenging to write, too. I wanted to do something I'd never seen and I've never seen Petshop of Horrors crossed over with ST:TNG. I'm glad you liked D's flirting, I thought it might be a little too cliche. Anyway, if you still like it, enjoy the rest of the story.  
  
Kimlore: Hi, thanks for the review. Actually I have thought about doing a Petshop of Horrors crossed over with YYH. I've got notes for it and everything. I'll have to work on that one as soon as all my other projects are finished. In fact, it seems like such an easy idea, I'm surprised I can't find any other crossovers of these two fandoms. Think about it, folks, they both have kitsune in common, if nothing else.  
  
Spitefulhope: You sound so enthusiastic, I hope you like what I've done.  
  
Kurochan: Thanks for the review, I'm pleased that you like it.  
  
tigerlady21: I hope you aren't too disappointed that Leon is reborn as himself. Actually, I was going to have him reborn as either Barclay or Picard, but I would hate to lose Leon's lovely face. I hope I'm doing all right with the Star Trek part of the story. I'm not an expert in it and I've heard that fans can be pretty brutal if one gets even a tiny detail wrong. Doing my best, though.  
  
Nissi Nirvani: Chris will wake up very soon. Tet-chan's getting impatient for his friend.  
  
nameless: Yup, Troi's going to be a bit of trouble and Q's got his part to play, too. The question is, how much effect will D have over her, since she's half human? Also, what's D going to think when he learns that humans have bred with species from other planets?  
  
Copper Fire: Hahaha! Glad to meet another D/Leon supporter. Thanks for the review.  
  
Jazzy: Thanks for the review. I'll keep writing until this story is finished. I never start a story I don't intend to finish, even if it does take me a while.  
  
dhrachth: Thanks for the compliment on characterization, they're very hard, especially the star trek characters, just because I don't watch it often enough. I love crossovers, too. Funny, not many people see to.  
  
Tegasus: I promise it'll be finished. I already have the ending, so all that's left is to fill in the middle bits.  
  
Koriaena: Glad you liked it. Hope you keep reading, too. I have revised a couple of the chapter's. Sorry if that's confused you. Ah, but we all know Leon isn't normal. How normal can it be to be the center of the universe for a Kami?  
  
Cor-chan: I'll keep writing. Thanks for the review. I like Tet-chan, too. He's easily my favorite pet with the possible exception of Ten-chan.  
  
Lin: Oh, don't worry. D's not going to be at all happy when he learns what Mr. Goti did to his dear lion.  
  
Sapphire: Yup, two weeks wait. Sorry about that.  
  
Ramineko: Such nice compliments. The Count will probably find something nicely horrible to do to Mr. Goti and I'm sure Tet-chan wouldn't mind the meal. I know what you mean about there not being enough Petshop of Horrors fics, there never seem to be enough and even fewer crossovers with Petshop of Horrors. I have a couple more already started, though I don't know if they'll ever be posted. I'd like to do a crossover with Petshop of Horrors and Weiss Kreuz, for one. Then a crossover with Banana Fish, a fantastic manga series.  
  
ChancingFaith: Yup, he did make it twice. One was from his POV and the other was from Tet-chan's POV. I do that sometimes, just because I like to see the same situation from two points of view.  
  
Sailor Aurora: Glad you like the story and I hope you like the rest of it.  
  
Mercedes No Inuari: So glad you liked the first chapter. Sigh...that one took about three tries before it came out right. yes, I did keep switching tenses, for some reason. I'm working on fixing those mistakes now. Awww! I like Sofu. He isn't cruel, just inhumane. He has to save the rest of the planet and he can't do that if he's worried about one destruction little species like humans. I chose Reggie because he's my favorite Star Trek character. Weird, I've been told, but I still like him. I always thought he'd have been a lot better off if he had just one good friend, so I gave him Leon. Yup, it's a native American legend about the crow and I've always like that one. Actually, I know nothing about Guinan's past, I'm pretty much making it up. She's one character I'd like to know more about. The only thing I do remember is that Guinan has been on Earth a very long time ago. There was an episode where they went back in time, to the early 20th century and they met her then. Other than that, and the fact that she hates Q and somehow blames him for her planet being destroyed (I think) I know very little about her.  
  
Feather Quill: Thanks for the review. I agree, I'll have to get some more D and Leon in there. They need to be together again.  
  
Ragna 01: Here's your update :) Just so you know, I try very hard to update every other Saturday.  
  
Till next time, readers.... 


	8. The Magic Closet

How Long Love Chapter 8: The Magic Closet  
  
Chris-  
  
Chris blinked and yawned sleepily before opening his eyes. The Count was smiling at him and that made Chris smile back. He hadn't had any nightmares, just like the Count had promised. -Count? Is Leon back, yet?-  
  
"Yes, my little one." The Count said, putting his hand on Chris' hair. "I have seen him with my own eyes, but there are some things you must understand before you meet him. Here, sit up. Tet-chan, will you get something to eat for Chris?" He spoke over his shoulder and then looked back at Chris. "The others have been waiting for you."  
  
Chris only then noticed Tet-chan standing near the door. There was a rare smile on his friend's face, though he stood just as proud and stiffly as ever. Tet-chan hadn't changed a bit. He walked out of Chris' bedroom, his jewelry jangling, after the Count nodded at him and Chris knew that Tet-chan had gone to get breakfast. That was strange, in itself. Usually, he ate with the Count and Leon in the kitchen, not served in bed. -Where's my big brother, Count?- Chris rubbed his eyes and sat up with a little help from the Count. He felt very stiff and wondered how long he'd been asleep. -Can I see him? Is he here?-  
  
The look on the Count's face almost made Chris wish he hadn't asked. There was a look of weariness under the Count's warm smile and Chris had a dreadful feeling that something was wrong. "No, he is not here, not at the moment, anyway. He was here a few moments ago. He is alive and safe, just as I promised you. Looks just the same as the last time you saw him, if just a little bit younger."  
  
-I don't understand. Younger?-  
  
"Yes. Not by much, maybe a year or so. He is still our Leon, though. A few things about him have changed, but not much. It is to be expected in reincarnation. His soul is the same, but his experiences are different."  
  
-What?- Chris tried to stifle the disappointment he felt that Leon wasn't right there when he woke up. He'd wanted to see Leon so badly, but he trusted the Count to do what was best. Reincarnation. That meant that Leon had been reborn, right? Chris was sure he'd heard that word somewhere before. -Where is he? Doesn't he want to come home?- Count D looked like he might cry for a moment and Chris felt terrible. -I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!- He sat on his knees on the bed and leaned forward to hug the Count, pressing his face against the soft robes the Count always wore. -I know Leon wants to come home, I'm just worried. Don't cry.-  
  
Count D put a hand on Chris' head. "Ah, do not be so upset for my sake, Chris. There is an unexpected development and it has caught me by surprise. It is not your fault or Leon's. I am not sad, really. It will simply take longer than I was hoping to bring Leon back to us. You see, he does not remember us."  
  
Chris pulled away from the Count and frowned up at him. -Doesn't remember? Why not? Is it like that time you fell in the sea and got amnesia? Leon was really upset then.-  
  
"Was he?" The Count asked, just a little bit pleased, though Chris didn't know why.  
  
-Yeah. He was really worried when the tidal wave washed you off the deck of the ship and he almost jumped into the sea to go after you. He was smoking a lot more when you couldn't remember us and everything made him more and more angry until you got your memory back.- Chris hadn't like that vacation at all, even if it had been the first vacation they'd all taken together. Leon had taken them to a beautiful island and to the beach, using money he'd saved for more than a year. Of course, Leon said he'd only invited the Count because Chris had begged him to and the Count said he only accepted because Chris had begged him to. They were both fibbing and Chris didn't understand why. He knew the truth. Leon asked Chris if he would mind the Count coming with them, then asked when Chris said he'd love the Count to go. The Count accepted gracefully, but when Leon had gone home, the Count had spent three hours digging though his vast wardrobe looking for just the right outfits to bring. Chris had known they liked each other from the beginning and it seemed silly the big game they were playing by not telling each other.  
Oh well. That was grown-ups for you.  
  
"I see. He never told me he worried for me."  
  
-Yes, very worried. Count, can't we just tell Leon about us? He'd want us to.-  
  
"It is not that simple, I am afraid. I am not certain what has caused his amnesia. Just telling him would do no good. He does not remember me at all and would not believe us if we told him. Leon has lived a whole life without us, this is real for him. We will not let him go though, will we?"  
  
-Right!- Chris agreed more enthusiastically than he really felt. Leon had really forgotten him? Had a whole life without him? Chris swallowed hard. He and Leon had only just found each other, so what would Chris do if Leon liked his new life better than the one he shared with Chris and the count? What if Leon didn't want to come home?  
  
"Our Leon may never remember the truth, Chris. Don't cry, please. We can always make new memories with him." Count D smiled softly, then sat back a little and looked Chris up and down. "You need a bath and some fresh clothes. I am afraid all of your clothes will be out of date and draw too much attention, should you be seen in public. I will ask Pon-chan to pick something out for you," He paused when he saw Chris' hesitant look. "Or we can just let you rummage through my wardrobe, if you prefer. There should be clothes in there from when I was your age and they will be a little less conspicuous, I think. I know dear Pon-chan has a taste for rather...er...lacy clothing" It wasn't an understatement. Pon-chan liked clothes with lace and frills and Chris just knew she'd pick out something girly for him to wear. "She's been lonely without you, Chris. We all have."  
  
-Lonely? Why? I've only been asleep. I didn't go anywhere. You said Leon lived a whole life without us, how?-  
  
"Chris, you've been sleeping for more than four hundred years."  
  
Reggie-  
  
Reggie followed Leon, though reluctantly. It wasn't that he didn't want to meet Leon's new friend, but he couldn't stop shaking. His fingers kept twitching and Reggie just knew he was going to have nightmares as soon as he fell asleep. He'd really thought Leon would be off the meds by this time. That he wasn't meant that Reggie had a choice to make and neither options looked very appealing.  
  
Neither of them spoke when they walked, side-by-side to wherever it was that Leon was taking them and Reggie wished he knew what Leon was thinking about. Was he thinking about how Reggie might betray him, now that Reggie knew his secret? Not that Reggie wanted to, but it would be the right thing to do.  
  
When they reached the door of the man Leon was looking for, Reggie was surprised at who they saw when the doors slid open. He was beautiful. Like a living doll. There wasn't a single thing about the man that was anything less that perfect except, perhaps, the slightly disgruntled look on his face when he noticed Reggie standing behind Leon. Not exactly angry, but certainly not happy, the man said nothing for a moment and fixed his hard eyes on Reggie.  
  
Reggie felt like something lower than an insect under the man's displeased eyes and wondered what it was that he'd done wrong. 'This wasn't a private meeting, was it? Leon wouldn't have asked me to tag along, if it was.' But Reggie was doubtful. The man looked awful dressed up, like he'd put a real effort into looking nice for Leon's arrival. It shouldn't have been all that surprising that Leon would have an admirer. He was good looking, smart, very charming, and he had a heart of gold. Why wouldn't Leon have attracted someone's attention so easily?  
  
"Greetings." Almost instantly, the unhappy expression on the man's face vanished and he was smiling pleasantly at both Reggie and Leon. "I was not expecting more than one guest. Will you take tea with us?"  
  
Reggie looked at Leon, just to see if Leon cared one way or the other. Leon's expression was strange, one that Reggie had never seen on Leon before. Leon wasn't even looking at Reggie, but there was a faint blush on Leon's cheeks. He wondered if he was interrupting something important and decided that it was best to bow out gracefully and let Leon enjoy whatever was to come of this meeting. Besides, it would give Reggie time to think about Leon's problem before anything serious happened. "Actually, I have to be on duty soon. I should get some sleep. Thanks for the offer, though." He was happy for Leon and hoped that it would all work out well. Leon deserved happiness.  
  
Leon said, almost absently. "See ya. Wanna meet for dinner tomorrow?"  
  
Reggie frowned at Leon's suddenly indifferent attitude and looked at him closely. He hadn't really thought about it before, but Leon had never been in a relationship with anyone for as long as Reggie had known him. This would be good for Leon, so long as Count D didn't deliberately try to hurt Leon. "Sounds good. Nice to meet Mister...er...?"  
  
"You may call me Count D." Count D didn't offer to shake hands, but bowed slightly, keeping his hands tucked up inside the billowing folds of his sleeves. "Perhaps we will see more of each other in the future. Forgive me. I neglected to ask your name, earlier."  
  
"Reggie. Er...Reginald Barclay." Reggie left and made his way back to his own quarters and it felt like he had the weight of the world on his back without a clue about how to lighten the load. Leon was his only close friend and now he found out Leon not only was still taking those damned drugs, but was deceiving Star Fleet. The proper thing to do would be to go straight to Counselor Troi or Doctor Crusher and tell them everything he knew about Leon. Tell them about the meds, Mr. Goti, the hallucinations, and what, exactly, was going to happen to Leon when he had to go without the meds for more than a few hours. It was bound to happen sooner or later and, when it did, Leon could easily die. Then again, Leon was his only friend. The only person, besides dear Deirdre, Reggie had ever really trusted and he knew for a fact that Leon trusted him. How could he go behind Leon's back and break that trust? Leon would hate him.  
  
When Reggie finally settled down in bed and ordered the lights off, he still hadn't decided what to do. It was possible that he'd be able to convince Leon to get off the meds by himself. He and Leon could take a couple of days off and Reggie would help him through the terrible withdrawal in private. They'd have time to prepare and get emergency medical supplies together in case anything horrible happened, as it probably would. It might work, if Reggie could get Leon to agree to it. If Leon was sane, afterwards. If Leon was alive afterwards.  
  
Needless to say, Reggie didn't get much sleep that night.  
  
Leon-  
  
Leon was trying to shake the powerful feeling of deja vu. Just looking at Count D made Leon feel things he'd never felt. He felt like he was home. Count D's incredible, inhuman eyes. Purple and gold. Leon felt like he'd done this before. Open the door and find those mismatched eyes looking at him.  
  
"Your friend seems...nice." Count D remarked.  
  
"Reggie? Yeah, he's great."  
  
"You must forgive me for mentioning it, but he seemed worried for you. Are you close?"  
  
Leon wasn't sure what Count D was driving at, but there was something left unspoken in his words. "Closer than I've ever been to anyone." Leon admitted, proudly. At least talking about Reggie was helping to distract Leon from the feeling of deja vu. "Reggie's done a lot for me. I trust him." Was it Leon's imagination or did Count D's eyes tighten with hostility, just then? "We're like brothers, I guess. We were raised together. If you can call it that." That seemed to relax Count D and he stepped aside, motioning for Leon to enter his quarters.  
  
Leon followed Count D into his quarters and it struck him how empty the place was. It was like no one even lived there. To be fair, it had only been a few hours since everyone had started coming on board, maybe Count D was new to the Enterprise and all his belongings hadn't yet arrived.  
  
"Thanks for taking care of my bird, I know it was kinda short notice. Where is she, anyway?" Leon asked, looking around the empty quarters. Usually, when he came into a room Jill would fly right to him or at least start cawing. "Hope she didn't bother you too much."  
  
"Not at all. I was pleased to have her. She is waiting for you."  
  
Leon shivered at Count D's voice, but it wasn't all together unpleasant. The moment the doors slid closed behind Leon, he could feel Count D's eyes on the back of his head and a slow blush crept up his cheeks even before he turned around to face Count D. He'd never felt like that before and it was making him so nervous that Leon was starting to get twitchy. If it weren't for the fact that Count D had Jill, Leon thought he'd just run away right then and there. "I can't stay long, I need some sleep before I have to go on duty." It was a good, and honest, excuse.  
  
"I am pleased to have you in my home. If you are tired, I have a bed you may sleep in." There was something dreadfully intimate about the way he said that and his voice made Leon feel dizzy and very hot. That sounded very much like a pick-up line many of the guys he'd gone through the Academy used on girls.  
  
Leon blinked and stared at D, dully. "I'm too tired for this. Can I have my bird and then I'll leave you alone?"  
  
"Leave me?" Count D sounded a bit alarmed, but calmed himself so quickly that Leon was sure he'd imagined Count D's distress. Count D put a hand to the side of his face and gave himself a little shake, to clear his head, most likely. "If Jill wishes to go with you, then yes." D sounded distracted and didn't turn his mismatched eyes away from Leon while he spoke. "Please, won't you join me in the parlor for tea?"  
  
"What do you mean if Jill wants to go with me?" Leon asked, somewhat offended. "Of course she wants to go with me."  
  
"Who are you to fathom the mind of a female? Now, about the tea...?"  
  
With a shrug, still trying to shake the feeling of having met Count D somewhere before, Leon nodded. "Yeah. Sure, why not? Just for a minute, though." He looked around the empty room and scowled at D. "What the Hell are you talking about? Parlor?"  
  
"Yes. It is just downstairs. Please, follow me." Count D turned from Leon then and went to the closet just inside the entrance to the quarters.  
  
This was just too stupid. Downstairs? This guy was crazy or just stupid. They were on a starship, for God's sakes, there was no downstairs! Everyone's quarters were exactly the same and Leon knew this was the same lay out as his own. The door that man was headed for was nothing more than a closet. "You're sure about that, huh?"  
  
"Oh, yes. Very sure." The door slid open to reveal darkness and Count D stepped aside, gesturing for Leon to precede him. "After you, Mr. Detec...after you, sir. I am afraid I have not asked your name, yet."  
  
Leon looked dubiously into the darkness of the closet. "It's Barns. Leon Barns. Look, I'm sure you've got a great closet, but where's Jill?" Leon couldn't help the feeling that this guy was just looking for an excuse to get him alone in a dark, enclosed space. He wasn't entirely sure that he was against the idea, either.  
  
"Down there." Count D pointed into the closet and, for the first time, Leon noticed D's long, painted fingernails. He'd never seen a man with such fingernails. They were painted dark purple and looked lethally sharp. No wonder Count D wore such long sleeved clothes. They hid his fingernails perfectly. Maybe that was the point. Maybe the fingernails were used for attack. In which case, Leon wasn't sure he wanted Count D at his back. Then again, why would anyone try to kill him? It wasn't as if he was important. "All you have to do is go to her." Count D was suddenly at Leon's shoulder and whispered softly, as if he were afraid to disturb the moment. "You will not be alone. I will be right behind you. "  
  
Leon jumped when Count D put a hand on his shoulder and moved away. "Er...why don't you go get her. I'll just wait here." He still didn't believe there was anything in the darkness but a closet, but having Count D so close was making him feel...weird and Leon wanted a little distance between them. "You're really sure there's a room down there, huh?"  
  
"Oh," Count D's smile widened just a bit. "Quite a bit more than just one room. Will you not come and see it? It is just like my home on Earth. A perfect duplicate. I am sure you will like it, if you just give it a chance. It is a petshop, or it was. I will not sell any of my dear pets here, on this ship. Perhaps when we return to Earth..."  
  
"What are you babbling about?" Leon scowled and moved away, turning to face Count D, though that put his back to the darkness in the closet. "This is impossible. There are no stairs anywhere on the Enterprise. What makes you think you have some in your closet, let alone whole rooms in there? It's just crazy."  
  
"Perhaps you are correct. Would you like to prove me wrong? Here. I shall go first." He stepped into the darkness and stepped down. Leon's eyes widened. Down? Then another step down and he was nearly engulfed in the darkness. "Will you not follow, my Leon?" Count D turned halfway to look at Leon, his eyes shining from the light from behind Leon.  
  
"What do you mean, 'my Leon'? Getting a bit familiar, aren't you?" Leon couldn't help but feel a little disturbed by the possessive tone and felt butterflies in his stomach. This wasn't what he'd come here for and he found himself wishing that Reggie had stayed with him. "We've never met before." Leon was beginning to feel very uncomfortable, mainly because he wasn't sure he was telling the truth. Ever since he'd first seen Count D, he had the feeling of deja vu. Like a forgotten dream that was trying to resurface. "Look," Leon shook his head and tried to laugh it all off. "Maybe this is just some kind of joke to you, but I really need to get some sleep. I'm exhausted. The only sleep I had was interrupted by Jill going nuts."  
  
"As I said before, you may sleep here, if you wish." Count D took another step down and vanished into the darkness, his voice sounding distant. "You are always welcomed in my home, Leon. Remember that. Always."  
  
Leon had no choice. He wanted Jill back and this crazy guy with the magic closet had her. "Awww...shit!" Leon took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness. He only took one step and then the darkness cleared and he could see where he was. He was standing at the top of a stairway lit from the ceiling and smelling faintly of something sweet that tugged at Leon's memories. The floor under Leon's feet was very real and he reached out a hand to touch the wall, finding it solid, too. At the bottom of the stairs, with his hand on one of a set of doors, Count D waited with a patient smile, or so it seemed to Leon.  
  
When Leon reached the bottom of the stairs and stood next to Count D, he could feel his heart pounding against his ribs, but was sure it didn't have anything to do with the meds. "What is this?" Leon asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am your friend, above all else."  
  
"You don't even know me."  
  
"I have known you since long before you were born."  
  
"That's impossible."  
  
Count D pulled one of the doors and it swung open to let more of the sweet, familiar smell waft out at Leon. "Very little is impossible."  
  
It was real! Leon stared at the room, amazed. "This...this can't be!" But it was. the room was real. "An illusion. It's just a hologram, like the holodecks. That's how you did it, right?" Leon whirled on D, both accusing and desperate to be right. He needed to have a logical explanation for this. "It's nothing but computer generated. Right, Count D?""  
  
"Please, call me D. I would like that. This is merely the front hall, in a manner of speaking. The parlor is this way."  
  
"Stop it!" Leon snarled, grabbing D by the arm and giving him a firm shake. He was amazed at how fragile the smaller man felt, but he was so angry that D seemed to think he was so stupid that he'd keep playing along with this game. It wasn't real, it was just an illusion, it had to be! D just looked at Leon, steadily and calmly. He didn't seem to mind being shaken at all and he was even still smiling. Leon didn't know what else to do, so he released D and called out, "Computer! Stop this program!" Nothing happened and Leon's anxiety grew. "Computer! Security override, Barns 787. stop this program!" Leon couldn't understand it. There should have been some response from the computer, even if it was just to tell him that his override command was invalid.  
  
D beckoned to Leon. "There is no computer here that would respond to any orders you gave it. Please, the tea will get cold."  
  
Leon felt very out of place in his uniform, the room made Leon feel like he'd stepped back in time a few hundred years. He couldn't believe this was real, but all evidence said that it was. The sweet scent he'd smelled when he'd started down the stairway was incense, as evidenced by the hanging metal things with thing tendrils of smoke slowly snaking out of the openings in the top, and he could hear the soft movements somewhere and suspected that it must be the pets D had spoken about.  
  
Wearily, Leon sat on the sofa D indicated and waited. His eyes traveled around the room, drinking in everything he saw. A distant part of his brain told Leon that he would have to report this to his commander, Mr. Worf, immediately. This wasn't right and the captain should be made aware of what was happening on the ship. Leon really didn't want to, though. He couldn't think of a reason, but he didn't want to get D in trouble. It was ridiculous. They'd only just met. To Leon's surprise, D sat with him on the sofa. Not just with him, but right next to him. So close that if Leon leaned just a little bit, their knees would touch.  
  
It was at that time, when Leon was sweating from confused feelings, that he saw another person walk in. It was a kid, a young teenager , at first glance. However, a closer look said otherwise. The kid had curved horns growing out of the sides of his head, like those of a ram, and tapered ears, like a Vulcan or a Romulan. Even his eyes were a bit odd, orange with cat-like slit pupils. He was bare footed and wore a kind of loose white pants tied at the waist with a white sash. The boy was bare-chested but for an open, orange vest and a necklace decorated with teeth. It wasn't his own adornment. Along with the necklace, he wore wide, gold bands on his wrists and narrow gold bands on his biceps. He even wore bands on his ankles with small disks hanging off that jangled when he walked. The boys' hair was red and wild.  
  
"Tet-chan, has Chris eaten?"  
  
"Yes, master." Ten-chan bowed to D, but his eyes stayed on Leon for a moment. Leon felt his back stiffen the moment their eyes met. There was something about Tet-chan that screamed danger to Leon. "He ate everything I gave him and Pon-chan's helping him dress."  
  
"Thank you. Will you please prepare tea and refreshments for my guest?"  
  
"It's already done, master. I'll fetch it for you." Tet-chan bowed again and turned to leave, but when he did, his eyes caught on Leon again for a moment. Those eyes...dangerous eyes. The eyes of a hungry animal. Tet-chan looked curious, more than anything, and a little cautious of whatever he saw in Leon. Tet-chan broke his eyes away from Leon's and he stalked away. It certainly couldn't be said that he walked, stalked was a far more accurate term. The boy moved with the grace of a wild cat. Tet-chan returned in moments with a large tea service, like something out of history, balanced easily on his hands. He set it down on the coffee table, bowed once more to D, then left without another word.  
  
"Who was that?" Leon asked when Tet-chan had gone. Surely, it couldn't be D's son or brother, they looked nothing alike. Leon wasn't even sure he knew what species Tet-chan was.  
  
"One of my darling pets. Tet-chan is very important within my petshop." D poured two cups of tea and offered Leon a plate of sugary treats, most of which Leon wasn't even sure of what they were.  
  
Leon turned the snacks down with a grimace. "Can't stand that much sugar. Sorry."  
  
D leaned in close, closer than most people liked getting to Leon. "Some things never change. Here," He took Leon's hand and placed a small apple in it. Leon was sure that there hadn't been any apples on the tray Tet-chan had delivered. "I think you'll find this more to your liking."  
  
"I...I should go." Leon stood up very quickly, hitting the coffee table with his knees and sending the tea set crashing to the floor, shattering all the fine china. "Oh...sorry. Didn't mean it. Sorry." He was babbling as he quickly made his way away from D, to a more comfortable distance. He felt stupid. 'What the Hell was that reaction for over a stupid apple?'  
  
D didn't acknowledge the apology or the broken tea set. He stood and Leon felt like his heart stopped. He couldn't breathe. "You are afraid." It wasn't a question. "I am the last person you need to fear. I would never harm you. Not if my life depended on it. I have waited for too many years for you to return to me. I would not waste all that time." Leon's breath was almost painful and he couldn't take his eyes off D. He was gasping for air like he was drowning.  
  
The distraction Leon needed for his own sanity came from D, himself. D looked away from Leon, sharply and muttered something to himself which sounded like, "Ten-chan...". When he looked at Leon again, he smiled. "Forgive me. Something urgent has come up. Will you please excuse me?" He turned and rushed out of the parlor, through another set of doors, leaving Leon alone.  
  
It would have given him time to think, except that he spotted, at that moment, a set of bright blue eyes peering at him from around the edge of the sofa. "Hello." Leon swallowed his own discomfort and waited to see if another strange creature, like Tet-chan, would emerge. "You gonna come out or what? I don't bite."  
  
The blue eyed person hesitated a moment and then sat up, now looked over the arm of the sofa, and Leon was shocked into speechlessness. It was a child, a regular looking human child, but the face...it was Leon's face! There was no mistaking it and Leon stood up to get a closer look. The child had been sitting on his knees and looked at Leon in an oddly worshipful way with adoration in his eyes. He was dressed in a green, old-style oriental outfit, though he clearly wasn't oriental.  
  
They stared at each other for quite a while before the little boy stood up and impulsively threw his arms around Leon. Leon didn't know what to say, but he was pretty sure the kid mistook him for someone else.  
  
-Leon?-  
  
Leon was sure that he heard it, yet he didn't see the boy's mouth move at all. "Yeah, I'm Leon. Who're you?"  
  
The little boy looked up with teary eyes. -I thought you were dead! I saw him shoot you!-  
  
There! Leon was sure the boy's mouth hadn't moved at all. There was an obvious answer to that. The boy must be a Betazoid, one of the telepathic aliens. Leon remembered the dark haired woman he'd met coming over on the shuttlecraft, but couldn't bring himself to push the little golden child away from him as he'd pushed the woman away. "I think you're mixing me up with someone else, kid. I've never met you before."  
  
The little boy looked shocked, but smiled, bravely. -The count warned me. It's okay.-  
  
"Ummm...yeah." He wondered what the kid was talking about and if he was entirely sane. Had the boy been listening the whole time he was talking to D? He must have been. How else would he know Leon's name? "Look, I need to find my pet bird. She's a big black crow. Have you seen her around?"  
  
The boy thought. -I've seen lots of birds, but I'm not sure about a crow. The count would know.-  
  
"Yeah, but he doesn't seem to want to tell me. Just wants me to hang around as long as possible."  
  
-Isn't that good, though? Don't you want to be here?-  
  
What was the kid expecting of him? Leon didn't want to disappoint the kid, his eyes were too sincere. Leon ran a hand through his hair and noted, again, how much the kid looked like him when he was a child. It was almost like looking back in time, but Leon was sure didn't have any children. Unless, of course, Mr. Goti had done other experiments with all the samples he'd taken from Leon over the years. That thought stopped Leon cold. It was possible.  
  
"I just want my bird. I promise I'll come back to visit if you'll help me find her."  
  
The little boy's smile widened and he nodded eagerly. -Yes, yes! I know lots of people here, I'll show you all around. Someone will know where your bird is.- He seized Leon's hand and pulled him towards the door D had just gone though, presumably leading further into this weird place. This weird place that felt like home. -We'll go visit Hon Ron and Philippe and Ten-chan...oh, no. Ten-chan's out exploring, Pon-chan told me. But we'll find someone who knows where your bird is.-  
  
The halls beyond the 'parlor' were just as befuddling as the magic closet, the impossible stairs, and the horned boy. There seemed to be endless miles of them. All of them looked exactly the same, but the little boy knew exactly where he was going. He popped his head in some doors and would ask if anyone had seen a black crow named Jill and, receiving a 'no' go on to other rooms. Some rooms he warned Leon away from, saying that the count didn't like anyone going in this one or that one. All the time, he refused to let go of Leon's hand, holding it in as tightly as he could.  
  
They eventually came to a door that the boy didn't immediately dismiss or throw open without hesitation. -The count's in there.- He told Leon with a little frown. -I was going to ask Mellow, but she must be busy with him.-  
  
"All the better." Leon was tried and confused. He wanted his bird and the best way would be to directly confront D and demand her back. Leon moved to give the door a push, but the little boy held him back.  
  
-You can't! The count doesn't like to be disturbed and you heard him say it was urgent. He doesn't lie!-  
  
Leon settled for just cracking the door open and looking in. He saw no one but D sitting at a computer. It was an old fashioned computer, one with a keyboard and a large, bulky monitor which cast a glow onto D's face. Strangely, he wasn't typing on the keyboard, but talking directly to the computer monitor.  
  
"Can you do it, Mellow?" D asked. "Ten-chan needs us quickly."  
  
Yes, Count. The computer replied. It wasn't all that unusual, all computers had the ability to vocalize, it was much easier than typing. What was unusual was the emotion in the computer's voice. It sounded worried. There should be a terminal in the quarters you were assigned. You will have to take me there and have the ship's computer create a compatible interface for me. It will only take a moment. Then I will take care of Ten-chan.  
  
D nodded briskly and pushed a button on the...what was it called? Tower? Something like that. He pulled a thin, round disk out of the slot and stood up briskly. Leon and the little boy barely had time to jump away from the door before D opened it and took in the sight of them both standing there.  
  
-Sorry, count.- The child said, sounding a bit embarrassed. -Leon's looking for his crow and I was going to ask Mellow, we didn't mean to interrupt you.-  
  
"Do not fret. Mellow and I had just finished. I see you have met Christopher Orcot, Leon. He's my ward. He is the brother of a very dear friend and that friend asked me to take care for him for a while." D bent down to Chris' level and asked gently, "Are you pleased?"  
  
-Yes! Thank you, count.- Chris beamed.  
  
"Then say goodnight, Chris. Leon must return to his quarters and get some sleep, he's very tired. I am sorry I can not offer to let you stay the night here, as I had wished. Something has come up." When Chris held onto Leon's hand tighter, D reassured the boy. "Now, now. He will return later, after he has rested. Yes, Leon?"  
  
That was just unfair! How could Leon say no when the kid was looking at him with such a pitifully hopeful expression? "Yeah, I guess."  
  
Chris smiled angelically and Leon wondered if the kid knew he'd be a heartbreaker someday? The girls were going to fall all over him with a smile like that. Thankfully, Chris let go of Leon and started back down the hallway. -I'm going to play with Philippe, count. Bye, bye, Leon!-  
  
"I'm not leaving without Jill." Leon said when D took him by the arm and began leading him to the door. Leon shook off D's hand and convinced himself that the tingle he felt from D's fingers was nothing and he hadn't really felt it at all. This was all going way too fast for him and he wondered why D was suddenly eager to get rid of him when he'd been happy to have tea and offered Leon a bed for the night just moments ago.  
  
"Yes, of course." D turned and looked down the hallway. Jill appeared and flew straight to Leon, landing easily on Leon's shoulder. "There. Now, you should go now. You may be getting a call from your superior soon and I am afraid it will not reach you in here." D slipped the computer disk into one of his long sleeves and took Leon's arm with his free hand. "I will show you out, please forgive my rude manners, but this is a family emergency."  
  
Leon let himself be hurried out, back through the halls and passed the parlor. He didn't protest once when D escorted him up the stairs and back through the magic closet. When they were in the regular, ordinary quarters, D opened the door for Leon and bowed when Leon walk out. "Please, come back when you are free. Our tea was interrupted too soon. Perhaps we will have dinner, next time."  
  
Leon nodded, but didn't say anything when the door closed between himself and D. Something strange was going on. A computer that told a person what to do? This was all to weird, but how could Leon ever explain all of what he'd seen and heard to anyone? No one would believe him. It occurred to Leon that maybe he should have been more worried. The safety of the ship and crew were in possible danger and he really wasn't all that worried. What he'd seen in D's petshop, the telepathic child who looked so much like Leon, the boy D called his pet (illegal at best) and so many other little things that should have Leon worried half to death but didn't. Maybe he was just over tired and not thinking straight. Whatever it was, Leon didn't think it was worth upsetting the captain with it. D was weird, but he felt safe. Reggie was an officer, so. Leon would tell him when they met for dinner and Reggie could decide what to do next.  
  
With his mind set on what he would do, Leon went back to his quarters to try and get some sleep before his shift started. 'First, some sleep. It's not like D's dangerous. Just weird.' At least, Leon didn't think he was dangerous. Not even what he'd heard about D loading some computer thing into the Enterprise's system could worry Leon. What harm could a single computer disk do to the incredible technology of the Enterprise? Probably nothing.  
  
Ten-chan-  
  
Ten-chan was careful to keep in hiding until he decided what form he would take. Even with so many humans it was easy to trick them. A faceless person would be best. Well, not exactly faceless, but someone with so ordinary a face that they couldn't be remembered. Tet-chan was good at that sort of thing and he ended up walking the halls of the starship easily, as if he were one of the ordinary passengers. No one who saw him would be able to remember if he was male or female or what his face looked like.  
  
'Later I'll get a more fun disguise, but right now it's just scouting around and that means sneaking. I love sneaking.'  
  
While it was fun to walk amongst the humans without being noticed, it was even more fun to look at all the people who weren't humans. They were so interesting and Ten-chan could hardly believe his eyes. He stared and followed some of these interesting creatures around while he explored the starship. These unearthly creatures were everywhere and they were all so wonderfully different. Blue skin, green skin, bumpy heads, pointy ears, fur, scales, and beings who looked human outwardly but clearly weren't. Ten-chan was entranced and almost lost his concentration several times. That was unheard of. Ten-chan was kitsune and, like all kitsune, he was skilled at deception and intrigue. This sort of thing was second nature to him, yet he'd almost let himself be seen several times just because he was so awed by what he saw around him. Not just by the alien creatures, but by how the humans interacted with them.  
  
'I'm by far one of the boss's oldest pets, but I've never imagined humans could turn out like this. I've never seen humans so...mature.' In fact, the only pets who could claim an older age than Ten-chan were the phoenix, the ki-rin, and an ancient tortoise who lived in the furthest reaches of the pet shop. 'I've seen humans in all their stages. I've seen them living in caves and wearing the skins of other animals for warmth. I've seen them march armies across continents, salting the Earth to kill it in their wake, making it desolate and worthless. I've seen them as they sang their children to sleep and watched them die. I've never seen humans like this.'  
  
He stopped a moment when he rounded a corner and saw a human speaking with one of the alien creatures. They both laughed at what the human had said. The inhuman male creature was only about five feet tall and had immense ears. His teeth were pointed, just like Tet-chan's, and his skin was a grayish brown color. They way they laughed and stood together made Ten-chan think that they must be old friends would.  
  
It struck Ten-chan as amazing. When had humans become so capable of ignoring differences? It wasn't all that long ago that humans had been butchering each other because of the shape of one group of humans eyes or the color of their skin or even the deities they chose to worship. So amazing, in such a short time. Maybe it was all because of that terrible war he'd heard the count talking about with the other Kami. Ten-chan supposed that it was good for the humans, but he wondered what this change in humans had done for the other animals of Earth and wished he could see Earth.  
  
'I wonder if we'll see Earth again.' It was a traitorous thought and one that Ten-chan berated himself for. Of course they would see Earth again. 'The boss said we'd go home afterwards and he doesn't lie to us.'  
  
As Ten-chan made his way around the starship, he kept careful track of what he saw and heard. It would be important when the count asked him, later. He memorized which corridor went where and certain important places on the ship were such as the medical facility, buzzing with activity though it was the middle of the night. At least, Ten-chan thought it was still the middle of the night. He could be wrong, it was hard to tell without the natural rhythm of the Earth. He wanted to stay at the medical facility, called Sick Bay by those who seemed to be working there, and observe but there was so much else to see. It seemed as if the starship was as endless as the petshop with miles and miles of corridors and passages to explore. He passed through engineering where people were calmly and professionally doing this and that and other things Ten-chan didn't understand at all.  
  
It was called the Enterprise, the count had told him, though Ten-chan still wasn't sure how it worked. He was still impressed that humans had done it. Of course, it wasn't nearly as impressive the powers he knew the count had, but it was still pretty good. As he made his way though the ship, mapping it all out mentally in case the count should want to know where anything was, he came across the bridge where the command crew were getting ready, just like the rest of the ship.  
  
His disguise was perfect and no one even glanced at him so Ten-chan was able to stand in the background and listen to everything. They didn't see him, because they didn't expect to see him. It was an almost sleepy atmosphere. There was nothing urgent going on, but everyone was checking and double-checking things on their consoles. It was a actually a little bit of a let down. Ten-chan had expected a little more excitement. Ten-chan just watched the crew go about their daily routine. He grew quite bored until a door on the side of the bridge opened with a hiss and a man strode out with a heavy looking face.  
  
"Make ready to go, number one."  
  
He was not an outwardly impressive man. Rather short and balding with beady eyes and a mouth that looked like the man didn't smile as much as he should have. He was dressed in a uniform of red and black and walked stiffly, tugging at the shirt of his uniform with a sharp pull. The human took a moment to look around the bridge, no doubt inspecting his crew and apparently finding them all satisfactory. His eyes skimmed right over Ten-chan as if he weren't even there. That was the way it should be.  
  
Everyone looked at the balding human man, startled, but ready to obey. One human man stood up from his seat and stepped aside, letting the shorter man take his place. This other human's eyes were droopy and his beard was neatly trimmed, making him look very professional. It didn't hurt that he was muscular and looked as if he were used to a physical lifestyle. Still, he obeyed the older human without question and began issuing orders while the balding human sat and glared at the screen that took up nearly a whole wall of the bridge.  
  
That screen bothered Ten-chan. He liked the sight of the stars and the now distant Earth, they were things he'd never thought to see, no matter how long he lived, and were so pretty. The problem was that he wasn't sure if the stars and the picture of the stars and Earth were real or not. He could see them, but that didn't mean anything. After all, the people around Ten-chan couldn't see him, but that didn't mean he wasn't really there. Well, it wasn't that they couldn't see him. Rather they just didn't notice him. To all of these people, Ten-chan looked as if he belonged there. It was a very handy way to get around without trouble. Ten-chan just didn't trust that what was on the screen was real.  
  
"What's the hurry, captain?" The bearded man asked, quietly, when he sat next to the balding man. No doubt he spoke quietly enough not to be overheard by the rest of the crew around them, but Ten-chan's hearing was far better than most creatures and he heard it as easily as if the man had been shouting. "I thought you didn't want to leave for the next few hours."  
  
"My plans have been interrupted. We have orders." The captain looked at one of the men stationed just between himself and the oversized screen. "Head out." He opened his mouth, probably to give more orders, but stopped when there was a bright flash of light and suddenly there was another creature on the bridge. This new being caused great agitation amongst the crew and Ten-chan saw at least one of them pull out a weapon, which the newly arrived being completely ignored. "Q!" The captain snarled, at once all his calm and dignity completely escaped him. "What the Hell do you want? Mr. Worf, at ease!" He snapped this last at the very large alien creature who had drawn his weapon.  
  
The captain's reaction amused Ten-chan because the only other time he'd seen a human become so angry, so quickly was when the count and Leon fought over something.  
  
This new creature made Ten-chan weary and he found himself backing towards the doors which had brought him to the bridge. He looked like a human male with a receding hair-line and puffy lips. There was something about his face that suggested he sneered quite a lot, like he were used to having a bad smell under his nose. He wore a uniform exactly like that of the captain, but the reactions of the other crew told Ten-chan that this being was not a regular part of the crew. They weren't happy to see him. Not that this Q being, cared at all. He stood with his arms behind him and kept his eyes locked on the captain. "I'd advise you against going on, Jean-Luc."  
  
Now this was intriguing and if there was one thing Ten-chan couldn't resist, it was a chance to learn about secrets. He would stay, despite his instincts to flee. This Q being didn't smell right. More to the point, he didn't smell at all. There was absolutely no scent to him. Ten-chan was puzzled, when this being first appeared, and had been testing the air for the being's scent. Every creature had a scent, even the alien creatures Ten-chan had encountered in the halls of this place had a scent, though it was often unpleasant and always strange. In fact, the only being Ten-chan had ever encountered without a scent, was Count D. That thought led to others which frightened Ten-chan. He wasn't one to turn away from reality, but Ten-chan didn't like to think that there were other creatures in existence with powers like a Kami's.  
  
'Not just 'like' a Kami's power, but...the same.' What a terrible thought.  
  
The captain's anger didn't abate, but it seemed he wasn't one to lose his head. He calmed himself, though the rest of his crew remained tense. "What do you want?"  
  
"Just to offer advice, Jean-Luc."  
  
"Give me a reason why I should listen to you." The balding captain grumbled. "Every time our paths cross you tend to bring trouble with you, Q."  
  
"You seem to be blocking some details out. I've only done my best to warn you away from danger over the years. Is it my fault you humans don't like to listen to reason?"  
  
"Reason!?" Captain Jean-Luc whirled around with his fists tight and looking ready to strike the being he called Q. "It's because of you that the Borg discovered humanity and we've had so much trouble with them! How many of my crew have died because of you!? It's because of you..."  
  
"Because of me that humans learned of the threat of the Borg years before they should have and have time to prepare. Because of me that little Amanda was taken away from where she might do such great harm and to a place where she could grow in peace. Because of me that you were able to save that over-polluted planet and because of me that you keep getting snatched away from the jaws of disaster. Is that what you were going to say? I hope so because I've got another warning for you. Do not leave Earth. Not yet. Wait just a few days. Trust me, your lives will all be the better and saver because of it."  
  
Captain Jean-Luc looked furious, but he seemed to be too smart a man to just refuse out of anger. "Why? What's going on that a few days will make such a great difference?"  
  
"It's not really my place to say. In fact, I really shouldn't be giving you any warning at all. There are certain people who would be quite angry with me, if they knew what hints I'm giving you. Which I'm sure they will in just a very short while." The Q's eyes shifted and landed right on Ten-chan. "You have a spy on your bridge. Unless I'm much mistaken, this same spy has been prowling all over your ship and now plans to carry the information he's found back to his master."  
  
It was the first time since Ten-chan had assumed his disguise that anyone had noticed him and he felt a quiver of fear run down his spine. No one could see passed his illusions, no one but other kitsune and Kami. He began to back away towards the exit. 'He knows!' If he were discovered by these people and they knew exactly what he was, it might make life impossible for him and could cause trouble for the count. Ten-chan most definitely didn't want to do that. He wanted to be valuable to the count and this could ruin everything!  
  
Captain Jean-Luc looked around, looking right passed Ten-chan. "Mr. Worf, scan the bridge."  
  
"Nothing unusual, captain. Nothing reads on the scanners." This was from a being who was very obviously not human. He was quite tall, even taller than Ten-chan remembered Leon being. He looked at the Q and then at his captain. "He's lying."  
  
"Yes," Q said, sarcastically. "Either that or the spy doesn't register on your scanners." He looked at his fingernails, studying them as if they were of far more interest than the people he was trying to warn. "I just thought I'd be civil this time and give you time to think before you did anything rash. There are powers you don't understand."  
  
Captain Jean-Luc rolled his eyes. "We've all heard your rant about how much greater you are than us mere humans, Q."  
  
"Good. Then I won't have to repeat myself." Q stepped away from the wall where he'd been leaning during the whole conversation. He went to captain Jean-Luc and they stared at each other, neither willing to give an inch. "Q are the most powerful beings in the void you humans call outer space. However, we aren't alone and we aren't the only ones with such power. If you think I have the potential to cause havoc among you humans, then wait till you see what disaster your guest can wreak." Q seemed suddenly aware that they were being watched and turned away from the captain. "It's just a warning. You can ignore it if you please, which I'm sure you will. Your do tend to become obsessive about these petty little missions."  
  
"Petty?" Captain Jean-Luc was unwilling to concede even that small point. "There are two thousand people dying on Actura IV, I'd hardly call that petty!"  
  
"That all depends on your perspective. Wars on Earth have killed more than that in a single day, men, women, and children. Two thousand is a relatively small number. You should be more concerned with your ship and crew. There's danger from within."  
  
Why Q trying to was warning captain Jean-Luc, Ten-chan had no idea. It wasn't as if the count was going to hurt anyone. The count was really very peaceful, unless someone tried to hurt Leon or Chris and then the count would probably tear the whole ship apart. Why couldn't they just grab Leon and go back to Earth?  
  
"Sir!" One of the human crew spoke up, though he sounded a bit reluctant to break into the conversation. "Message from Starfleet."  
  
The large view screen of the stars blinked and was replaced by the face of an old woman. "Captain Picard, your ship is still in dock. May I ask why you have left, yet?"  
  
Ten-chan realized his mistake. It wasn't captain Jean-Luc, but captain Picard. Humans had far too many names.  
  
"My apologizes, admiral. We're leaving now." Captain Picard nodded at one of his officers. "Take us out. Set heading to Actura IV. Engage." There was finality in the order and he looked again at Q as if to say, 'what are you going to do now?'  
  
Q bowed his head, solemnly. "You've made your choice. Live with it." Then he turned halfway around and vanished in a flash of light.  
  
There was silence on the bridge and Ten-chan thought that they must all be waiting to see if the Q would return. Ten-chan wanted to leave and tell the count what he'd seen and heard during his trek through this starship. However, Ten-chan was kitsune and had certain pride to up hold. He would not run screaming back to the count just because he'd heard some odd things and seen a being who held much power. No, he'd wait and collect his wits, first, then report to the count. Had to be professional and not shame the count, he didn't want anyone to think he was unworthy of the count's good favor.  
  
When he'd taken just a moment to calm himself, Ten-chan decided that he would use a faster method of communication than just by running home. It was important that the count should know about all that had gone on as soon as possible. -Hey, boss.- There was a moment when Ten-chan thought the count wouldn't reply. -Boss?-  
  
-I am here, Ten-chan. Forgive me. I have a guest and was not paying attention.-  
  
Guest? That must be Leon. No one else would distract the Count to such inattention. -I'm on the bridge, boss. The captain said we're leaving and there was a creature with no scent, just like you. Is this important? That creature knows we're here. He hinted at it to the captain, said they shouldn't leave Earth, yet. I'm not sure but I think he was trying to buy you some time. If you want to leave, now is the time. I don't think the captain's going to be changing his mind.-  
  
-I see. Yes, it is important. Thank you, Ten-chan. Come home right away. Waste no time. If we leave Earth's orbit, I'm not sure what will happen, but I would rather you have where I know you're safe.-  
  
-You got it, boss.- Ten-chan had turned and started to leave the bridge when his attention was caught by captain Picard and the bearded man, number one, talking.  
  
"That was strange." The bearded man said with a very suspicious voice. "No mocking? No threats? No insults? It really wasn't like Q at all, now was it."  
  
"You're right. I don't like this at all. It sounded as if he were trying to protect us, however absurd that sounds."  
  
Wasted time. Ten-chan was ancient, he should have known better than to waste time listening to their conversation. It was jut a few seconds, but Ten-chan was curious and knew all the information he could gather would be helpful to the Count. It was in that few seconds, however, that an un-human crewman suddenly shouted out, "Captain!" And Ten-chan found a finger pointed right at him.  
  
Picard-  
  
Picard and Riker both jumped to their feet and turned , following Mr. Worf's pointed phasor. "Where did that come from?" Riker muttered. It was a fox, or something very much like a fox. It's fur was completely white with two bright red dots just above its eyes and nine long tails, all moving independently behind it, it couldn't have been a fox. Not an Earth fox, at any rate. "Q's intruder?" The creature looked vaguely surprised.  
  
Yes. Riker was quite right. "Mr. Data, have you ever heard of any animal like this on any known planet?" If anyone would know, it would be the android sitting in the front of the bridge. Mr. Data looked at the creature with his golden eyes and one could almost see him sorting through the files of information he had stored in his mind. Despite what anyone else said, Picard found it hard to think of Data as anything but a person. He rarely acted like a machine, so why treat him like one?  
  
"No existing animal, captain." Mr. Data replied. He turned his head slightly to the side and a smile played on his lips. One would almost think he was amused. "However, there is a Japanese legend..."  
  
"Not now, Mr. Data. I want facts, not fairytales." As highly as Picard thought of Data, the android did have a tendency to ramble when given half a chance. Not an existing animal. That didn't mean Q hadn't just create it on the spot or, perhaps, that he'd brought it here from another part of the universe, just as he'd taken the Enterprise and thrown them into the middle of Borg territory, bringing them back only after several lives had been lost. "Counselor, anything?"  
  
Deanna Troi shook her head, after barely a moment. "It's an animal, sir. No intelligence as we know it."  
  
The fox-thing hissed at Troi and let out a little barking yelp, its tails now lashing around aggressively.  
  
Ten-chan-  
  
'No intelligence!? I won't be insulted by that thing!' Ten-chan did his best to curse out the female with the onyx eyes. She didn't understand him and at least that gave Ten-chan some information. His illusion had been broken, but they didn't see his human form. They only saw his animal-like form. Though he wasn't quite sure how, Ten-chan was sure it had something to do with either moving away from Earth or that Q being. Whichever it was, he didn't like it. This was not good, his main value to the count had just been eliminated and, if he wasn't careful, he'd be eliminated very shortly.  
  
"Intelligent or not," The bearded man said with a deceptive laugh. "I think it understands you, Deanna." Ten-chan didn't trust that one at all. He was the sort who would lure his prey with a soft word and a gentle smile, then snap them in two when they weren't expecting it. "Q's probably behind this."  
  
-Boss! What do you want me to do?- It would have been much easier if they weren't floating around in the void and if Ten-chan didn't have to worry about what was going to happen to the others. If he had to, he could destroy this whole ship and all its people. If he still had the power. Mabye more had been taken from him than just his illusion. Ten-chan backed away from them all, trying to keep his eyes on all of them at the same time. He hadn't been this helpless since he'd been a kit many, many centuries ago.  
  
-Come to me.- As always, the count's voice was calm and unruffled. -Do not use the turbolift, the way you got onto the bridge. Right above you, there's a narrow shaft. Go up, Ten-chan. I will lead you home.-  
  
Ten-chan looked up and then back at the Enterprise crew. At least two, the bearded man and Mr. Worf, the alien with dark skin and a bumpy forehead, had some kind of weapon out and aimed right at Ten-chan. They both looked ready to fire at a moment's provocation. -I'll be caught, boss. They can track everything with computers and they have their weapons aimed..-  
  
-I will have Mellow in the computer systems of this ship in just a moment. She will guard you.-  
  
Ten-chan tensed and tilted his head backwards so that he was looking straight up. -You got it, boss.- Ten-chan released a small bolt of energy, emanating from the two red spots above his eyes, which shattered the panel of the ceiling just above him. Just that little bit of energy use tired him and Ten-chan worried all the more for it. It should have been just a fraction of his power, but it felt like he'd used all of himself in that one little action. He hated being so weak. If Tet-chan saw him like this, Ten-chan would never live it down!  
  
There was shouting from the crew of the starship and Ten-chan jumped for the opening in the ceiling even before the debris hit the floor, but when he did there was a jolt of pain when one of the crew's weapons hit him in the hind leg. Ten-chan fell to the ground and let out a pain filled whimper. Whatever weapon that was, he'd never seen it before and had no idea how to defend against it. It was like a ray of bright light from one of those little hand-held things. It hurt, a burning, searing pain that jabbed right though his mind and made him see stars.  
  
"Careful. We don't know what it is. Q must think he's playing a fine trick." It was the bearded man who spoke, hostility clear in his voice.  
  
Ten-chan looked up and found half-a-dozen of those little light weapons pointed at him. He was surrounded. If only he had a bit more of his power... -Boss, I could really use some help here.-  
  
"Captain," Mr. Worf spoke in a deep, guttural voice. "I recommend that we destroy it at once. Better to get ride of the danger now."  
  
-Boss! Help!-  
  
To be continued... 


	9. Ants Under My Skin

How Long Love Chapter 9: Ants under my skin  
  
Mellow-  
  
Mellow was a fish, though she had never swam in any kind of liquid, unless you count that of her electronic world. Her creator had made to be a perfect fish, his image of absolute beauty. She lived not in the world of flesh and blood, water and earth, but in a world Jody had created for her. Later, after poor Jody's death, she had been adopted by Count D and lived in his petshop on the only computer he had. He was good to her, as good as he was to any of his pets. Still, sometimes, she felt that he didn't quite understand her. She wasn't 'alive' so how could he? He was like a god to all living things of Earth, but she wasn't alive and never had been. She was just electronic signals and little bits of cleverly built hardware.  
  
Count D loaded her program into the computer as fast as he could and, after a brief rush she always felt after being introduced into a new system, Mellow went to work. Mellow nearly crowed with the glory of freedom when she realized how vast the system of the Enterprise was. Such space to explore. She loved the little home, unfortunately, the computer had no connection to the outside world and was quite limited. Mellow had become bored very quickly, though she never dared to complain. She was lucky enough that the Count was so generous as to give her a safe home. Now to have the whole computer system of the Enterprise to explore, Mellow was ecstatic.  
  
First thing first, though. Rescue Ten-chan.  
  
Mellow swam though the inner workings of the Enterprise, trying to stay focused, no matter how excited she was to see such beautiful things in this place. She could see like no other living creature, for she could see the beauty of information. It was her nature, as a computer program, to see such things. This ship held the most amazing bank of data and so many possibilities. She saw so much information about places and people and things she'd never imagined could exist. Even Jody hadn't...  
  
Jody.  
  
Mellow's mood darkened with the memory of her beloved creator. Poor Jody.  
  
-Mellow, where are you now?- The Count's voice reminded Mellow of the urgency of the situation. Even traveling along the information lines of the ship's computer, Mellow was getting flashes of what was going on. Ten-chan needed her and there wasn't a moment to lose.  
  
Luckily, it took less than a moment to get where she needed to be. -Nearly there, Count. Give me time, Count. Just a little more.- There were so many intricacies to work out and Mellow hadn't had time to properly explore the ship's system, yet. She didn't know all the variables such as how the crew of this ship would react. Would they try to kill Ten-chan outright or would they torture him with medical experiments and dissection? Would they try to communicate or would they think of Ten-chan as nothing but food? All things were possible where humans were concerned.  
  
Mellow traveled along the lines of communication of the Enterprise until she found the main controls of the ship. It was quite simple to control the interior, especially when no one was paying any attention. She could 'see' what was happening all over the ship, but focused on the bridge. -I see him, Count. Ten-chan has been injured. His leg appears to be wounded, but I see no blood. He is standing, but favoring his left hind leg. He is surrounded and looks...anxious. This is bad, Count.- Mellow had sympathy for Ten-chan and, now that she had access to information banks, she knew everything she needed to know. -From what they say, I believe they see only Ten-chan's fox shape.-  
  
-I agree.- The Count's voice rang in Mellow's mind like a soft bell. -A distraction would be greatly appreciated, dear Mellow.-  
  
-Must I be subtle?- Mellow didn't know Ten-chan well when they'd first met, but they'd lived together for hundreds of years and had grown fond of him. To see him so frightened and surrounded by armed, dangerous humans, not to mention aliens, frightened her. The Enterprise was at her command and, if she wished, there was so much she could do.  
  
The Count hesitated. -Yes. I do not wish them to know you exist.- His voice was as cool as always and Mellow had no idea what he was thinking.  
  
She couldn't help her shock or hide it from her voice. -Yes, Count.-  
  
-I have reasons for my decision.-  
  
-I have faith, Count. You wouldn't let Ten-chan get hurt.- There was no point in arguing. The Count wouldn't listen. He didn't have to, he was Kami, after all. Still, that didn't mean Mellow had to like it. It seemed wrong, very wrong, that the Count was so unconcerned about Ten-chan. He should have let her go as far as she need to, let her do anything that would ensure Ten-chan's safety.  
  
-Mellow, time is running out. Please, help him.-  
  
-Easily done, Count.- She had access to such incredible power at the moment, it would have been very easy to operate the transporter and simply beam him off of the bridge and to somewhere safe. Still, subtle would work. All she had to do was make it look like just a malfunction. She looked over the systems that had been damaged, at least partly, when Ten-chan had blasted a hole in the ceiling of the bridge. 'Yes,' She thought, satisfied. 'Plenty of damage. I can use that.' -Count, please speak with Ten-chan and tell him to use the hole he just created in the ceiling to escape. I will put up a force field around him. Their weapons won't hurt him again.-  
  
There was a moment of silence and Mellowed waited for Ten-chan to do as the Count told him.  
  
Ten-chan-  
  
At the Count's orders, despite the pain in his leg and the weapons aimed at him, Ten-chan tensed and jumped as high as he could, straight up to the opening he'd made in the ceiling. Someone fired at him, but the ray of light bounced away long before it had even come near him, like something invisible was protecting him. Ten-chan caught the jagged edge of the ceiling with his paws and pulled himself up. He was nearly crying in pain when he was safely in the inner workings of the Enterprise and paused only long enough to take a breath and then started running.  
  
"Was that you, Mellow?" He was in a narrow shaft, only a few feet high and wide. If one of the crew had to move around in these things, they'd have had to do it on their hands and knees.  
  
-Yes, Ten-chan. I am in control of the ship, for the moment.- A familiar electronic voice spoke to him, coming from the very walls around him. -Don't waste any time; the Count is waiting for you. I am not to let them know of my intrusion into their system, so I can't help you as much as I would like to. Stay in these crawlspaces. The shields were all I could manipulate, inconspicuously. They were damaged when you attacked the ship. Their sensors don't know what to look for you, so they can't track you at the moment.-  
  
"Don't worry about me, beauty." Ten-chan kept running, his pace hobbled by his injury. "I've never yet been caught and I won't be this time! Can you show me how to get back to the boss?" Never before had Ten-chan had to deal with humans without his gift of disguise. Worse than the obvious danger, the disguise gift was one of Ten-chan's natural powers. To suddenly have it missing...he felt like he was half-blind. Not to mention that he wasn't exactly having fun running from humans, of all things!  
  
-Yes. The Count is waiting for you in a part of this starship. He has asked me to guide you there instead of the petshop, least the crew manage to follow you home. Follow your current path. I'll light your way- True to her word, all the little lights of the control panels in the little tunnel suddenly lit up and all Ten-chan had to do was to follow them. Her voice was soft and gentle, but determined and confident. In this age of computers, Mellow was very powerful and she knew it. -I will keep them from you, Ten-chan.-  
  
"Whatever you say." Ten-chan agreed, his breath becoming heavier with the pain in his hind leg. He was nothing if not resilient. "Lead the way, beauty."  
  
Picard-  
  
Picard's eyes narrowed. The many-tailed fox tilted it's head upward and Picard was almost certain he saw a gleam of intelligence in those eyes, despite what Deanna had told them. The fox creature made one tremendous jump and leapt up to the hole it had made in the ceiling, just as it had tried to do before. This time, instead of Mr. Worf's phasor stunning the creature, as it should have done, the beam connected harmlessly with a force field and dissipated, letting the fox creature escape into the interior of the ship.  
  
"What the Hell's going on?!" Riker demanded, his voice raising angrily. "Q!"  
  
"No, commander. That is extremely unlikely." Mr. Data answered at once, his eyes and fingers on his control panel, which could monitor the interior of the ship. "One of the areas damaged in the kitsune's attack was relating to the shield which protects the bridge during battle. It seems that the shield's control was damaged in just the right manner for it to project a shield just around the kitsune."  
  
Picard turned his eyes from the hole in his bridge to Mr. Data who'd said all that so innocently. "Kitsune?" He asked, trying very hard to keep his voice under control. "You knew what that was and you said nothing?"  
  
"You told me that you did not wish to hear about fairytales." Mr. Data swiveled around and looked at Picard with his artificial golden eyes. "Therefore, I said nothing."  
  
"Tell me now."  
  
"The kitsune is from Japanese folk lore, literally meaning fox, but also referring to the feared demon fox. They are said to have a magical talent for glamour, to hide their true appearance from humans and make themselves look anyway they please. Many tales tell of kitsune who take human shape and breed with unsuspecting humans. They are said to be very intelligent and more clever than any other creature on Earth. Most folk tales tell that the kitsune's power is revealed in the number of tails it has. The most powerful, most ancient, of all kitsune are the nine-tailed ones."  
  
Picard didn't miss the point. The one that was now making its way though his ship had nine tails and was injured. "Can we track it?" Picard went back to his command chair and sat down, irritably. Unfortunately, he had no one to be irritable at except himself and, probably, Q. Data would have told him about the whole folk tale of the kitsune sooner, if Picard had let him. He really should know better than to dismiss Data's information. Not that it would have helped, really.  
  
"Negative, sir." Mr. Worf replied before Data could. His phasor was back in its holster and he was at his own control panel, looking over what the kitsune had done. "Internal sensors were also damaged in its attack. Not seriously, but it will take time to fix it." He was angry, but that wasn't unusual. Mr. Worf took his responsibilities very seriously and took it as a personal insult if anything uninvited got onto 'his' ship.  
  
"What else was damaged?" Picard asked with a sinking feeling. God only knew what Q's game was this time.  
  
"Nothing, sir."  
  
"Nothing?" Now that was a surprise.  
  
"Nothing. The bridge's shield were the only things affected."  
  
"You're telling me this was all coincidence? It just happen to damage the part of the ship that would affect shields, just enough for a single shield to malfunction, protecting the kitsune from us?"  
  
"It's a bit of a reach, isn't it?" Riker commented. He shook his head and went to where the kitsune had been. "The shield's down, now, sir. It lasted just long enough for the kitsune to escape. If the sensors aren't damaged, why can't we just track it?"  
  
"The damaged sensors might have nothing to do with it." Mr. Data added. "The ship's computers detected nothing when Q warned us of an intruder. It is likely that the sensors are just unable to register a kitsune, as it is a mythical creature."  
  
"But it wasn't imaginary." Deanna Troi said, thoughtfully. "It WAS there. Real and solid. It was frightened when it found itself among us. Whatever it is and however it came to be here, whether by Q or some other means, it is alive."  
  
Picard thought about the situation for less than a second. "Find it, Mr. Worf. There's an intruder, possibly sent by Q, and with an unknown agenda. I want it found and put in the brig until we know what it is." It was entirely likely that the 'kitsune' was actually some kind of intelligent alien species. That sounded like something Q would do.  
  
Worf nodded once before he ran to the lift, not the one near where the creature had been, now protected by the damaged force field, but the one opposite of it. As the doors closed behind him, Worf slapped the badge on his chest and spoke out loud. "Security, alert for one unidentified alien, possibly hostile and proven dangerous. Energy pulse of some kind emanating from two circular marks on it's forehead. Appearance: Small with white fur, four legs, and nine tails. Intelligence is unknown..." Then the doors closed and whatever he was telling his team on duty was lost.  
  
If it was an alien creature, they couldn't take any risks. If it was a kitsune, as Mr. Data suggested, then it was dangerous and created by Q for his own amusement. It couldn't be a real kitsune. They didn't exist, after all. "Keep course heading, Mr. Data." There was no sense in losing time getting to Actura IV because of their unwanted guest. They had lives to save.  
  
Ten-chan-  
  
Ten-chan ran as fast as he could, but the pain was terrible. Whatever they'd shot him with hurt more than any bullet or even trap. Ten-chan had been injured more than once in his life, but never like this. Ten-chan found himself panting with exertion before ten minutes running. Mellow sealed off the passage ways that would have led Ten-chan astray, the blinking lights easily showing him the way.  
  
After not too long, going through many winding passages and painfully working his way down narrow ladders, Ten-chan came to a dead end. "What's going on, Mellow?"  
  
-This is the end of the passages, Ten-chan. I'm afraid you have to expose yourself to danger, now.- A little panel just at Ten-chan's left popped open and he could see a corridor just beyond. -The Count is four doors away. Get into the corridor and go left. Four doors on the right. It's a big garden room. He's waiting for you. Be careful.-  
  
Ten-chan gave the panel a little push, just enough so he could see out into the corridor. There seemed to humans everywhere and Ten-chan had to be careful that he wasn't seen. Injured as he was, it would have been hard to escape if the crew of this ship got a lead on him. Ten-chan waited and waited, watching the humans and aliens walk by. When there was a lull in the traffic, Ten-chan scurried out of the little tunnel and landed nimbly on his feet.  
  
Hope flared when it looked like he might make it to the Count without a hitch.  
  
Hope died when two security officers strode around the corner and laid eyes on him. They drew their weapons at once and one muttered to the other. "That's it. That's what the commander said to look out for."  
  
Ten-chan took off. He could'n't risk being captured. Perhaps even the Count wouldn't be able to rescue him. Both men fired their weapons and missed, badly. Ten-chan had faced more risk from many of the arrows shot at him by hunters in his youth. He counted doors, but had to go passed the fourth one when the security officers were too close. They would have seen him and that would have caused the Count trouble. Instead, Ten-chan kept running until he was just out of sight of the officers and found a tiny alcove with a little raised seat. He dashed under the seat and kept as still as he could. Just as he'd hoped, the security officers ran right passed Ten-chan's hiding place.  
  
He spared them a laugh when he darted back down the hall and found the door he was looking for. It was a garden, just as Mellow had said, and the most beautiful place Ten-chan had seen on the entire ship. There was a little pond of water with some small fish and little trees and grass. It didn't even smell close to being like Earth, but at least it was close and that gave Ten-chan some small comfort. He spotted the Count at once and ran right for him, into the Count's safe arms.  
  
"Sorry." Ten-chan panted, letting the Count pat his head and back. "Sorry. Forgive me. I don't know what happened, boss." Ten-chan was thoroughly embarrassed. He couldn't imagine any of the other pets failing so spectacularly. He was smart enough to understand how much he'd hurt the Count's plans. "Everything was fine, then my glamour vanished and they all saw me."  
  
"Rest a moment." The Count wrapped his robes around Ten-chan, effectively hiding him, and sat very still on a bench. "Do not move, Ten-chan. We have visitors."  
  
Ten-chan was obedient and kept as still and as silent as he could, even when he realized why the Count was doing this. There were footsteps and voices and, for a moment, Ten-chan feared that they'd followed him and he'd endangered the Count. It was possible, despite all of Mellow's precautions. Ten-chan felt his lips curl away from his sharp teeth, though he carefully swallowed his snarl. Glamour or not, he wouldn't let anyone hurt the Count. If it came to a fight, he could buy the Count enough time to get back to the safety of the petshop.  
  
"Hello, sir. We're looking for a white animal, looks a bit like an Earth fox. Has anything like that come in here?"  
  
"No." The Count answered, sounding completely innocent. "I have been here for hours, meditating. I have been alone. What is this creature you are looking for?"  
  
"Nothing for you to worry about, sir. Just an animal escaped from the zoological labs. If you see it, please call security, at once."  
  
"Of course."  
  
There was, again, the sound of footsteps and Ten-chan knew the security officers had left again. Ten-chan breathed out a sigh of relief. Safe. While he was still shaking and nervous from the chase and his injury was in more pain than ever from having to run, he was elated. He hadn't had such a chase in many, many years and Ten-chan was the kind of soul who thrived on the chase.  
  
The Count stood up, his hands carefully, but unassumingly holding Ten-chan so he wouldn't fall. "Shall we go home?" The Count asked.  
  
Reggie-  
Dream-  
  
"Deirdre..."  
  
"Oh, you're always so melodramatic. It's not that bad. Don't look at me like that." Deirdre was scratching at her arms. She'd been scratching for a long while and her arms were starting to bleed. Her shoulders were twitching spastically.  
  
"Please, stop." Reggie had barely moved in the hours they'd been locked together in the room. There was no way to escape, only a single door that was locked and no even a single place to access the computer system in Mr. Goti's Home. So Reggie had spent hours sitting in one of the corners of the room, his body pulled as tightly into a ball as he could while still watching Deirdre. She hadn't been still or quiet, but had spent the first hours of their imprisonment screaming obscenities at the walls. As the hours passed, her screaming died down and she began showing signs that her medications were wearing off. Like scratching at her arms. Like pulling at her hair. Like twitching and licking her lips when ever she spoke.  
  
"Why? It's not going to do any good and we both know it. It's too late, now." Deirdre licked her lips and Reggie cringed at the sight. Deirdre hated little things like that. She thought it was undignified. "Don't look at me like a kicked puppy, Reggie. I knew this was going to happen; you should have kept your mouth shut." She'd said the same thing at least six times in the last few minutes. "Shouldn't have said a damned thing." Deirdre began drawing blood with her fingernails and Reggie knew he had to do something.  
  
"Come sit with me." He said. She was right, though. There was nothing they could do, but try to survive until Mr. Goti let them out. If he let them out.  
  
"No. Not going to sit. Have to keep moving. I feel like I'm on the greatest sugar high of all time, Reggie. Like I could run a million miles and not get a bit tired." She gave out a little whimpering sound and looked down at her bleeding arms. "Ants under my skin." Her bloodied fingers traveled up to her neck and she started scratching again. "Ants. Shit, it feels..." She let out another pitiful whimper, so unlike the Deirdre Reggie knew.  
  
Reggie jumped to his feet. He grabbed her before Deirdre even looked up at him and dragged her down to the floor. She didn't go down quietly, not that Reggie had thought that she would. Deirdre swung her arms and kicked her legs, trying to get free, but Reggie held her tightly against him.  
  
"Reggie, let me go!"  
  
"No. Sorry." Reggie, though not the biggest or strongest of boys was still stronger than Deirdre. He pulled her to the floor and sat her roughly between his legs, wrestling with her all the while until he managed to pin her legs with his and cross her arms over her chest, holding them tightly so she couldn't do herself anymore damage. Deirdre fought to free herself until she was exhausted and collapsed against Reggie. "Y-you'll hurt y-yourself." He wanted to say, 'Let me take care of you. You'll be alright if you just let me protect you.' But that would have been a lie and he didn't want to lie to her.  
  
"I don't care." Deirdre began to shake. "I think I'll die today, Reggie. Wouldn't mind dying so much, but..." She coughed so hard, then, that her whole body convulsed and she had to wait for the coughing to stop. "Everything's messed up, now. I just...wanted..." Her head lolled to the side so that her cheek was on Reggie's arm. "I wanted to see the stars, just once."  
  
"S-stars?" Reggie couldn't stop his stutter now, not without the medications. "But y-you can s-s-see them from your w-window."  
  
"Not like that." Deirdre looked up at the white metal ceiling. "I wanted to see real stars. I wanted to go into space on one of the big starships and see the rest of the universe. I'd have been a great captain."  
  
"The best."  
  
Hours passed.  
  
They'd been locked in the room together for a day and a half, as near as Reggie could guess, and she looked worse with each passing hour. Her hair, usually thick and shining, was dull and hung in bloody tangles. "It's only a little hair. I'm not crying over it, you shouldn't, either!" Reggie had made the mistake of falling asleep and his grip on Deirdre's hands had slacken. When he woke, he found her still sitting between his legs on the floor, but pulling ruthlessly at her own hair. On the floor around them and even on Reggie's legs were clumps of hair Deirdre had pulled from her own head. After that, Reggie was determined to not fall asleep again, so long as Deirdre needed him. He had her arms once again crossed over her chest and pinned with his own, holding Deirdre so she couldn't rip at her hair, again.  
  
Normally, he would never have had the courage to do something like that, but he had very little choice. Shy or not, Deirdre needed him. Even as he tried his best to keep her still, Deirdre twitched and jerked uncontrollably and hadn't spoken for a very long time. If Reggie let go of her, Deirdre would start ripping out her hair again or scratching viciously at herself. It was a side effect of not having her medications anymore, Reggie was sure of it. He was feeling the effects, himself. His head hurt, but he wasn't certain if that was because of withdrawal or the dim lighting. They'd been locked up for so long that the room reeked of urine and sweat. Reggie and Deirdre were both sweating buckets, so much so that their clothes were soaked right through. Reggie's stomach hurt, too. It probably wasn't hunger. Every now and again, food and water were beamed in, just enough to keep them both alive.  
  
"Deirdre, do you think we'll die?"  
  
"Probably." Deirdre suddenly relaxed, fitting neatly into the curve of Reggie's chest. He could feel her breathing and her too rapid heartbeat. "Not much we can do about it in here, though, huh?" Reggie felt warm blood from Deirdre's head seeping though his shirt. "Thanks, Reggie."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"...just...thanks." Deirdre jerked violently, taking Reggie by surprise.  
  
"Deirdre?"  
  
She turned herself so she could look right up at him and smiled. "It was a good try." She jerked again, her eyes rolling into her head for a brief moment before she focused on him again. Her eyes were yellowish and her pupils dilated far beyond normal. "Not good enough." Her narrow shoulders stiffened and she inhaled sharply. "Reggie..." Deirdre's eyes widened like she'd just been punched in the stomach and her breathing became gasps. Wet-sounding, pathetic struggling for life and Reggie looked desperately up at the surveillance camera.  
  
"Help her!" He yelled. "She's dying, help her!" Of course there was no answer and Reggie had known there wouldn't be one. This was the end and there was nothing Reggie could do to save her. Reggie held her close and began rocking her. She looked up at Reggie and she was crying. It was the first time he'd ever seen Deirdre cry. "Oh...Oh..."  
  
Deirdre began to cough again, but it didn't let up this time. She coughed so violently that she managed to pull both herself and Reggie onto their sides and Reggie was hard pressed to catch her so her head didn't strike the floor. She kept coughing until it became a choking and then she threw up. For a moment it seemed that the worst was over, but then she started heaving and trembling again. The next time she threw up, there was blood in the vomit. After that, there was nothing but bile and blood.  
  
"Don't d-d-die." Reggie felt so helpless. "I'll go see the s-stars with y-you. I...I...promise." It was such a strange thing to promise, but it made sense to Reggie. "Don't die a-a-and I'll take you to the s-s-stars."  
  
Deirdre gave one last great shudder and then fell still.  
  
"D-Deirdre?" It was hopeless. "Deirdre, p-please..." He turned her over, ignoring the vomit and its stench. Her eyes still wide and staring, warm tears still making their way down her face. Dead.  
  
He cried for her and held her until they came and unlocked the cell's doors. Reggie was so lost in his pain that he barely noticed the light flood into the room and he didn't see Mr. Goti walk in with two of his thug's.  
  
"I want the corpse for vivisection and dissection. Have it taken to the lab and put on ice until I can deal with it." Mr. Goti said, his voice as warm and loving as it always was.  
  
It was only when the thugs tried to take Deirdre away from Reggie, that he registered what was going on and he fought to stay with her. He was too weak to put up much resistance, though, and they batted him away like he was a fly. Reggie was in so much physical pain that it hurt just to stand and his emotional pain was unspeakable. Still, he did and launched himself at the man who'd lifted up Deirdre's body. Again, Reggie was pushed away and this time he struck the wall, hard. His head spun and Reggie slumped to the floor, unable to stand.  
  
"One more day, Reg." Mr. Goti said, his voice still jovial and gentle, even as he followed out the men who carried Deirdre. "One more day and your punishment will be over. You can come out and go back to your classes." He closed the door behind him and Reggie knew it would be locked.  
  
He folded himself up, pulling his knees up to his chest and hiding his head under his arms, making himself as small as possible. With his eyes closed, Reggie could still see Deirdre, vibrant and whole. She was laughing and her eyes were so full of life.  
  
Reggie hoped he would die before they opened the door.  
  
End Dream-  
  
Leon was staring at him. "You finally awake? Christ, you sleep like the dead."  
  
Reggie sat bolt upright. "W-what are you doing here?" Hadn't they agreed to meet for dinner? There were dark circles under Leon's eyes and Reggie wondered when the last time Leon had any decent sleep was.  
  
"Man," Leon sat on Reggie's bed as if it were his own and didn't even bother to turn up the lights. "I've got to talk."  
  
Reggie was glad to see Leon, but he really didn't feel like talking. He never did, not after the dream. It wasn't the first time he'd dreamt of Deirdre's death. What he wanted was to be left alone for a while, but Leon had a panicky look that worried Reggie. Leon didn't often look so frightened. "Don't you ever sleep?" Reggie asked, rubbing his eyes to wake himself up. It was better to look at Leon than to remember Deirdre's lifeless eyes. "Lights." He commanded, causing the room to brighten. Leon hadn't even changed his clothes and Reggie cast a look at his clock. Less than an hour had passed since he'd left Leon with Count D.  
  
"Not lately." Leon grumbled. He put his hands on Reggie's bed and leaned back just enough so he could look at the ceiling. "The weirdest thing just happened. Look, you remember that guy I introduced you to? The Oriental guy in the dress? I told you he had my Jill?"  
  
"Count D? Yeah, what about him?" From the atmosphere he'd felt between Leon and Count D, he'd rather expected Leon to spend the whole evening with him. Maybe even the whole night. Perhaps something had gone wrong and that was why Leon looked so upset.  
  
"'What about him!?' Everything about him!" Leon nearly exploded and he slumped suddenly, catching his head with his hands and his elbows on his knees. "Where do I start? I can't even describe how it felt. Christ, I thought I was going to die in there! I couldn't stop sweating and everything he said seemed to have a double meaning. Every time he looked at me, it was like...like he was looking right though me. I couldn't think straight."  
  
Reggie smiled and thought how cute Leon looked like that. "Oh? Really?" Reggie hoped he sounded innocent.  
  
"Yeah. It felt real hot there, too. Hotter than anything I've ever felt. Not that he seemed to notice at all. He was wearing so much clothes and didn't even have a slight flush on his face. He was chalk white."  
  
Reggie leaned back to watch the fireworks he was about to inspire. "Sounds like love to me." All right, he shouldn't have said it, but it was so tempting.  
  
Leon's reaction was instant and spectacular. He stood up and slammed both hands down on the table, his face dark as a thundercloud, but also blushing like a schoolboy. "You've gotta be kidding me! What the Hell are you smokin' Reggie?! It's nothing like that! Nothing at all!"  
  
"What was that phrase?" Reggie put a finger to his chin as he pretended to think. "Oh, yes. 'Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.' Yes, that was it. Shakespeare, I think."  
  
Leon's blush deepened and his mouth dropped. "What are you talking about?" Leon demanded, angrily. He left the table and started pacing back and forth. "I only met the guy yesterday!"  
  
"So what?" Reggie was no expert in love. He'd only ever given his heart to one person and she was long dead. Still, he knew more than Leon who'd never been in love before. "He obviously likes your company." Leon took a deep breath, looking as if he'd yell again and Reggie spoke quickly to prevent it. "Look, why are you so upset? Is it the fact that he's a man that bothers you?" It was a very outdated concern, but one that some few people still had problems with.  
  
Leon scowled. "Why are you doing this to me? You're supposed to be on my side!"  
  
"I'm always on your side, whether you like it or not. I just don't know why you're so upset. Love is a great thing, you should be happy. Is he ugly?"  
  
Leon snorted. "You saw him. You shouldn't even be able to ask that with a straight face. He was...perfect."  
  
"Then what's he like? I didn't get much of a chance to talk to him. Is he crude or obnoxious?"  
  
"No. He was polite enough to be Vulcan and...and he smiled a lot. No one can be that perfect." Leon declared, after a moment's thought. "There's got to be something wrong with him if he seems that perfect. Maybe he's a mass murderer or he tortures small children..."  
  
"That's going too far."  
  
"No. I'm serious. There's definitely something not right about him. But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I could swear I've met him before. Everything was so familiar, right down to the smell. There was something in the air, a little sweet and a little something else. His eyes...his hands...even just walking around in that place seemed so natural. Like I'd done it a hundred times before."  
  
"Leon, maybe you should talk to counselor Troi about this. She's very nice and a good listener." Reggie had never seen Leon so worked up about anyone. If anything, he normally dismissed people or barely tolerated them. This was verging on paranoia. Reggie understood that Leon had never been in love, but to be this frightened about it was surely unusual.  
  
Leon answered with a snarl. "That mind reading bitch..."  
  
"Leon!" Reggie was outraged for counselor Troi's sake. He might not always be fond of her, but she didn't deserve that kind of insult. "She's a good woman, you've got no reason to say that!"  
  
"All right, all right!" Leon held his hands up defensively. "You know I don't like counselors or psychologists. I don't know how you can stand to be around one that can tell what you're thinking."  
  
"She doesn't do that. Deanna might be able to help you, Leon."  
  
"No. She can't." Leon stood up and strode out of Reggie's bedroom and Reggie jumped up, chasing after him. He caught Leon's arm before Leon got out of his quarters.  
  
"Where are you going? You can't just wake me up in the middle of the night and then walk out. What's going on?"  
  
Leon stopped, but didn't turn to face Reggie. "He's D."  
  
"D?"  
  
"You remember. My dreams? I told you I dreamed about D all the time. Well, he's D."  
  
Reggie was stunned and dropped Leon's arm. "That's not possible."  
  
"That's what I thought. In the dreams, I never saw his face. His voice is the same, though. No one else could have that voice." Leon turned to Reggie and his eyes were wide with confusion. "It was just a dream, wasn't it? D? My mom dying? Animals that could talk and looked very human? Those were all dreams."  
  
Reggie nodded. "Yeah. Animals can't talk like humans and they don't look like us. You never knew your mom; you said she died in childbirth when you were born. Maybe it's not Count D you were dreaming about. Leon, I don't see how it could have been him. He can't be much older than you, so how could you have met him when you were a child?"  
  
"D has a kid, Chris, who looks like me. Says he's taking care of the Chris for a friend. I think the kid's a telepath. He didn't talk, but I could hear him clear as day. D had another kid he called Tet-chan, said Tet-chan was one of his pets and the kid called him 'master'. That's just weird."  
  
"The captain wouldn't let anyone involved in slavery onto the ship. I've served under him for a few years now and he's very strict about that sort of thing. Count D probably meant that Tet-chan was his servant or something. You've got security access, have you checked up on Count D, yet?"  
  
"I don't want to get him in trouble." Then, Leon admitted his real fear. "What if...what if I'm dreaming again? What if none of this is real?"  
  
Reggie almost choked. He knew Leon hadn't had any dreams since he was a child, the medications didn't let him dream. If the medications weren't working anymore, then it would be very bad. Someone would notice something about Leon's behavior and that would be the very best situation. At worst, Leon would die.  
  
"What if he's not the D from my dreams, but just another dream." Leon continued. "What if he's not what I see when I look at him? What I saw couldn't have been real! He took me into his closet and led me down a fuckin' stair case into a huge room! That's not possible and he wasn't a bit impressed by it. He said he knew me before I was born. I couldn't contact the computer after I went down the stairs. The telepathic kid took me into the weird place when D had left for a moment and there were all kinds of weird hallways and rooms."  
  
It had to be a dream. If what Leon said was true, then Captain Picard would have to know about it. After all, Reggie had seen much stranger things during his journeys on the Enterprise. It was possible that Count D wasn't human at all, but some kind of alien. It sometimes seemed like the Enterprise was a magnet for strangeness. This could be a terrible security hazard and Leon couldn't make the choice.  
  
However, if Leon's story was nothing more than dreams, then...Reggie wasn't sure what he would do. This was worse than Reggie had thought. He'd never thought that the drugs would just stop working. Leon shouldn't be even near a phasor if his mind was going to be playing tricks on him, let alone be trusted as security. Reggie would have to betray Leon for everyone's sakes.  
  
'I told you so' didn't seem like the right thing to say at the moment, not with Leon so shaken, so Reggie kept his mouth shut. He would press Leon about getting off the drugs, now, though. If they weren't working, Leon shouldn't have such a problem with rehabilitation. If Leon couldn't even decide to tell his superior what he'd seen, then he wasn't able to be a security officer.  
  
"Let's get some sleep." Reggie gestured to his couch. "You can take my bed, I'll sleep there." If he'd be able to sleep at all, given this new worry and the still fresh memory of Deirdre. "In the morning, we'll go visit Count D and you can show me the stair case." Reggie hated talking to people, but he would make an exception in this case. "We'll know one way or the other."  
  
Chris-  
  
Chris had never been on a space ship before, so it was really no wonder that he was excited or that the moment Leon and the Count had both gone, he snuck out of his room.  
  
"You can't!" Pon-chan pleaded. "The Count will be really angry! I don't think he wants you wandering around."  
  
-I have to!- Chris insisted. -Leon's out there and I have to bring him back. He might get hurt again.- The memory was all too clear for Chris. To him, Leon had been murdered less than a day ago. To see him perfectly healthy and alive was a miracle and Chris wanted to see him again. -Besides, if I can talk to him again, I can make him remember. I know I can! He'll remember and he'll come back to live at home.- Chris couldn't imagine it being any other way. If he did, he'd cry.  
  
By this time they were on the stairs leading up to the outside and Pon-chan was doing her best to hold Chris back without actually pulling him down the stairs. "You have to wait. The Count will bring your brother back, I know he will." Pon-chan was hardly the biggest or most threatening of the Count's pets, but she was a very good friend of Chris' and he liked her very much. He didn't want to listen, though.  
  
-You come with me, then.- Chris suggested.  
  
Pon-chan was aghast. "I can't! The Count told us we had to stay here, I can't disobey. He'd be so angry!"  
  
-Then stay here. I'll be alright.-  
  
"At least ask Tet-chan to go with you."  
  
-If you won't disobey the Count, then he won't either.- Chris turned and ran. He was angry that she wouldn't go with him. Pon-chan always went with him on adventures, so why wouldn't she go this time? The Count wouldn't be all that angry. He never got really angry. Besides, the Count would approve this time, Chris was sure. He was going to find Leon, after all.  
  
Chris stepped into the room at the top of the stairway. It was a very weird room. All white without any color at all. It was the windows that really got Chris' attention, though. 'We really are in space!' Chris smiled and ran to the windows. He pressed his hands against the glass and then his nose, as if that could give him a better view of the stars.  
  
The view made him so happy that Chris was smiling like it was Christmas morning when he left the room. He jumped when the door slid open all by itself. He'd only ever seen supermarket doors open like that before. Still, it was nothing compared to what he saw outside the quarters, in the hallways. 'Pon-chan's going to wish she'd come with me.'  
  
Tet-chan-  
  
Tet-chan was busy on dinner. It took a lot to feed someone with as picky tastes as the Count's, but Tet-chan was up to the challenge. He always served a master piece to the Count and always made sure there was a delicious desert to follow after dinner. Actually, this was the first time in a long time that Tet-chan was able to cook in peace with an easy mind. Chris was awake, Leon was soon to rejoin the Count, then they'd all go home. All was right with the world.  
  
"Tet-chan! Tet-chan!" Pon-chan ran screaming into the kitchen. "Chris! It's Chris!"  
  
"What about Chris?" Tet-chan set down his skillet and readied himself for whatever the little raccoon would say. It couldn't be all that bad. Inside the petshop, everyone knew better than to hurt little Chris. They'd not only have Tet-chan to deal with, but the Count, himself.  
  
Pon-chan was nearly crying. "He's gone! He went outside to find Leon!"  
  
"What?!" How was he supposed to protect Chris outside? Tet-chan threw off his apron and tore towards the stairs. "Stay here," He shouted to Pon-chan over his shoulder. "Tell the Count what's happening when he gets back!"  
  
to be continued... 


	10. Spider Silk

How Long Love Chapter 10: Spider silk

Chris-

Chris ran though the halls of the starship, excited. Everything was strange and new and he loved finding new windows to look out of. No one seemed to pay him much attention, at least not that he noticed. Chris would stop and stare, a little bit, every time he saw a new type of person. It was wonderful! This was the first time Chris had ever seen such interesting looking people unless they were from Count D's petshop. They weren't really all that different from Chris' friends and they smiled at him sometimes. He especially liked a man with bright blue skin he saw and a woman with feathers.

It didn't take long before his excitement began to wear off, however, and he realized he was lost. There were things like elevators and when Chris saw some people getting into one, he stepped in and made his way unobtrusively to the back. The elevator moved with a noise like the wind and Chris got off with everyone else.

'It's just like where I was.' Chris wasn't even sure if he'd really gone anywhere. Everything was still all white. His feet were hurting and he was very tired. Chris wanted to go home. He tried finding the petshop, but every door looked the same and most of them wouldn't open for him.

"Computer," Chris looked up when he heard the voice and he saw a man talking to the wall. "Tell me how to get to science lab 8."

-Science lab 8 is on deck 4. Follow, please.- The wall lit up and began flashing down the hall to the left and the man obediently followed.

'Wow.' Chris thought. 'That's handy.' So Chris went to the place at the wall where the man had asked for directions and thought he'd give it a try. -Where's my big brother?- He asked the wall.

The wall didn't answer.

-His name's Leon.-

This time Chris waited a minute, thinking that maybe it was just a really slow wall, but it nothing happened.

-How about home? Where's the petshop?-

Silence.

-Please, tell me how to get to the petshop.-

Silence.

-Come on!- Chris was getting impatient. -You helped him!- Chris was on the verge of yelling at the wall when he realized the problem. -Stupid wall can't hear me. Stupid. Stupid. No one can hear me.- Chris walked away from the wall that was unwilling to hear him, but he had no idea where to go. All the people he saw on this ship and there was no way he could ask them about Leon. No way to find Leon. He was lost, his feet were sore, and he was hungry.

Chris left the uncooperative wall and started his search again, beginning to regret his choice to look for Leon instead of staying in the safety of the petshop. Perhaps another hour or so passed, Chris wasn't really sure. He was getting frightened, though. There were so many strangers around and Leon had always told him about the dangers of strangers.

What was it Leon had told him?

"If you're lost, never talk to or go with strangers. That's just asking for trouble." Leon had wagged his finger at Chris, to emphasize his point. "You find a cop or call 911 when you find a pay phone. It's free. Then you wait at the phone and the cops will come to you. It's okay if you can't talk, they come automatically when the number's dialed and they trace it to the phone." Leon had winked when he said that with a little smile. Leon had mentioned that last part especially, since no one but the residents of the petshop and Leon could hear Chris speak. It was a good idea, but in all his wanderings, Chris hadn't seen anything that even looked like a phone, so how could he call 911? All the people he saw were strangers and, therefore, dangerous. That left just Leon's last bit of advice. "Find a cop."

So Chris kept looking, but he didn't see anyone that looked like a police officer. There were lots of people wearing little badges, but none of them looked like Leon's police badge. Chris didn't even know how he was supposed to ask for help when he knew they wouldn't hear him.

Hours seemed to pass and Chris felt like he was just walking in circles. He was tired, his feet were sore, he was hungry, and scared. Tears began to burn at his eyes, but Chris quickly rubbed them away with his knuckles. Tet-chan and Leon would be ashamed if they saw him crying. Best to sit down and think. That's what the Count would tell him to do.

He ended up finding a little alcove with a small bench in it and Chris thought how funny it looked to have a bench out here in the middle of the hallway. Then again, he was pretty tired from walking, so maybe other people got tired, too. So Chris made himself comfortable and tried to think of a way out of his predicament.

Nothing.

Chris' mind was a complete blank. He was sure that the Count would show up sooner or later to take him home, so maybe it was best that he just stay where he was. Wasn't that another piece of good advice? To stay in one place and wait to be found? Chris wasn't the most patient of people.

'A trait you share with that brother of yours.' The Count had once said in exasperation when he and Leon had gotten into another fight. 'Neither of you can sit in one place for more than two minutes!' Chris didn't know how he'd gotten involved, but he was sure the Count was more mad at Leon than at Chris. Even that, Chris had doubts about. Sure, the Count and Leon fought a lot, but it was always about little things, never important stuff. It was almost like they enjoyed fighting with each other.

"My, you look a bit lost."

Chris looked up and found a lady with long black curls smiling at him. He knew she wouldn't hear him, so he didn't bother trying to answer. She was a stranger. Chris sat up straight, crossed his arms over his chest, and scowled, hoping she'd go away.

"There's no need to be afraid of me. My name's Deanna Troi. How about you?"

Again, Chris didn't bother to reply. Why should he when he knew she wouldn't hear him? Chris shook his head at Troi and stood up, skirting around her. His brother's warning still clear in his mind. Never talk to strangers.

"You're very smart to be cautious." She said, still watching him. "I can see you're also afraid and very confused. You look tired, too. Have you gotten lost?"

Chris continued to back away.

"Would you like me to help you find your way home?"

At that, Chris stopped and looked at her, appraisingly. He really wanted to get home and go to bed, maybe get some dinner first. But Leon was very strict about the 'no strangers' rule. The one time Chris had been tempted to get into a strangers car, it turned out she was a homicidal maniac who almost killed the Count and tried to kill Chris all to get revenge on Leon. This lady might be just as bad.

The lady wasn't at all put off by getting no response from Chris. In fact, she seemed to smile more and actually bent down to look him in the eyes. "I can see you don't talk to strangers. That's alright, but I can't just leave you here. I can tell you're afraid, so I'm pretty sure you're lost. Won't you tell me your parent's names so I can tell them where you are and they can come get you?"

Deanna Troi-

She was sure she'd seen him before, but she didn't know where. The child looked so familiar. His lips were kept tightly closed and he sure wasn't going to say a word to her. He was really a very cute child with such bright blonde hair and very big eyes. It was quite the surprise to find him alone in a deserted corridor so early in the morning. The Enterprise really didn't have day or night, but it did have regular shifts and this was the time when most children, most people, were in bed and asleep. In fact, that was where Deanna had been headed when she ran into the little boy.

He still didn't answer her and, again, backed away when she stepped closer. This wasn't getting her anywhere. There wasn't so much fear as caution from the boy, but she could feel his frustration and so many other unpleasant emotions even before she'd seen him. Loneliness. Fear. Worry. Even a bit of excitement and confusion. Really, it didn't make much sense.

"Well," Deanna said, when it looked like the boy would never open his mouth. "Why don't I see if I can find out where you belong?" She went to the computer panel on the wall. "Computer, are there any missing children reported?"

-No.-

Deanna looked at the boy sharply when she felt his anger and found him scowling, not at her, but at the computer panel. He was angry with it? Again, that didn't make any sense. "Computer, I need a child identified. Blonde hair, blue eyes, human male. Approximately seven years old."

Deanna looked at the boy when he stomped his foot and shook his head. He held up eight fingers.

"Sorry. Eight years old."

-There are thirty two children on the Enterprise that fit that description.-

"Are they all in their quarters?"

-Yes.-

So that meant this child wasn't one of those ones, which was nearly impossible. There might be some kind of glitch in the computers, but that was unlikely, too. "Well, I'm afraid this raises some problems." Deanna turned to the little boy.

-Yeah? What?-

The thought words were so strong that Deanna's mouth dropped open, before she could catch herself. -You're a telepath. Are you Betazoid?- Maybe that was why the computer turned up nothing. She should have been looking for a Betazoid instead of a human. -What's your name? Can you hear?- That was another good possibility of why he didn't speak to her. Perhaps he was deaf.

-I'm Christopher, but everyone calls me Chris. I can hear, but...you can really hear me? Not many people can- The little boy turned his head to the side. -What's a Betazoid?-

-I can hear you because you're a telepath.- Deanna was only half Betazoid, on her mother's side, so she normally didn't have telepathic contact with anyone on the Enterprise. To be completely truthful, Deanna wasn't really a telepath. She was an empath and could only speak telepathically with other telepaths. A full Betazoid could, and often did, communicate fully telepathically. It was the normal way of life. In fact, many Betazoids who never left Betazed couldn't even speak verbally. Deanna even remembered her own mother learning to speak from her human father. Having a human father had been a huge advantage for Deanna because she'd learned to speak verbally at a very young age and that had made her transition into Starfleet, where most people had no psychic talent at all, much easier. -I'm a Betazoid, and Betazoids are the only known people who can communicate like we do. With out minds-

-No.- Chris said, slowly. -I think you're wrong. I know lots of people who can hear me. I don't even know what telepa..tela...whatever that word is. I just talk. No one can hear me, that's all.-

He was hiding something, something about why he didn't speak.

Deanna was puzzled, but careful not to let it show in her mind's voice. This boy's mind's voice was clearly very powerful and well controlled enough that Deanna wouldn't have been able to tell he was telepathic if he hadn't spoke. Still, he didn't even know he was a telepath and Deanna just couldn't believe that.

"Computer," Deanna tried again. "Are there any Betazoid children on the ship? Any telepathic species at all?"

-No Betazoid children are currently on the Enterprise. The are no telepaths on the Enterprise.-

So much for that idea. He couldn't have just come from nowhere. Deanna bit her lip when a notion stuck her that this might be some work of Q. It hadn't been long since the whole kitsune incident and it was still running loose. If Data was right, and he usually was, this could be a disguise of the kitsune. No. That didn't make much sense, either. Why would the kitsune be out here so conspicuously? Surely, it would take a form that would be easier to hide in, like an adult in Ten-Forward? Even if Chris wasn't the kitsune, he could be some other trick of Q's. "Computer, who is the child standing approximately three feet in front of me?"

-Unknown.-

-Hey, miss Troi?-

-Yes, Chris?- She hadn't been called miss Troi in a very long time. Alarm bells were ringing very loudly in Deanna's mind and she knew she'd have to discuss this with the captain. This child definitely shouldn't be here.

-Why won't the wall help me find Leon? It talked to that other guy and to you, but it won't talk to me.- He actually sounded insulted and only then did Deanna realize why the boy hadn't spoken to her before. He didn't understand the difference between speaking and mind's voice.

-Leon?-

-My big brother. He just came back. I'm looking for him, but I got lost and now I can't even get home.-

-I see. Can you tell me your brother's full name?-

-Lean Orcot.-

-It shouldn't be too hard to find him. You're sure he's on this ship?- This was good. If there was someone connected to the child, then it would give them more information. If the brother was a crew member, it was possible that the boy had just been overlooked when he came on board, not likely, but possible.

-Yeah. I saw him. He was wearing funny clothes, just like you.-

Deanna looked down at her uniform and frowned. There really wasn't anything strange about her uniform. It was what all Starfleet personnel wore and was very similar to what most civilians wore. Actually, now that she thought about it, the child was dressed a bit oddly. Some tough, faded pants that were held up by a kind of belt that might have actually been leather. Deanna shuddered at the thought. Imagine! Wearing the skin of dead animals. How primitive. Even his shirt was something Deanna had never seen before. It was plain white, but there was a big picture of a dinosaur on it and 'MILKBALL' written in large red letters across the top. It made no sense at all and whoever heard of clothes with pictures on them?

"Computer," Deanna thought she'd give it one more try. "Please locate Leon Orcot." Leon? Now why did that ring a bell?

-There is no Leon Orcot on the Enterprise.-

The little boy was shocked and angry. He pointed a furiously shaking finger at the computer panel. -It's lying! My brother is here! I saw him.- Now he was even more scared than before and his eyes started to well up with tears. -We were waiting for him and he's here!-

-Now, now. Don't worry. We'll find out where you belong. If I can't find anything here, we'll go talk to the captain. I'm sure he'll have some idea of how to find your brother.- If nothing else it was a good excuse to show Chris to the captain and let him know about the problem. It wasn't unthinkable that Q had brought some poor innocent child from another world or another time and set him down in the Enterprise just to see what the crew would do.

Ten-Forward-  
Q-

"Deanna thinks so poorly of me." Q commented with a pout. "It's really not fair."

"Really?" Guinan asked, skeptically. "Well, what are you going to do? If the Jean-Luc finds out there's a child on the ship who shouldn't be here, he's going to have kittens. If he gets upset, the whole crew gets upset. There will be an uproar until they finally find out where the boy belongs and they'll find D." Her dark eyes met his. "They'll find out about us sooner or later."

Q nodded his understanding. "I see your reasoning. I suppose we can just let them find him. It's not as if they can hurt us. They're inferior." He said this with a slight smirk, not at the Enterprise's crew, of whom he was actually quite fond, but of Guinan. She knew that fact as much as he did. It wasn't arrogance, just simple fact. Humans, Klingons, Vulcans, Betazoids, and all those other type of creatures were so far below Q, Guinan, D, and all the other Kami in the universe that there was literally nothing they could do. Of course, Guinan, now powerless as a human, had few ways to physically defend herself. D, taken away from his source of power, the Earth, had power, but it grew less and less the further they went from Earth. It was out here in the deep of the void that Q was the most powerful. This was his domain.

"Inferior or not," Guinan said. "It would be best if they didn't know about our kind. At least, not what we're capable of. It's too much for them. They wouldn't understand and it would frighten them. Frightened humans are dangerous, it would cause chaos."

"Are you hinting that you want me to get the boy away from your precious counselor."

"Deanna has a good heart, but she shouldn't get involved in this."

"She's got enough reason to be suspicious, already."

"Yes, but no proof of anything. D will keep the boy closer, after this. He's protective and I think it would be bad for everyone if something should happen to the boy. I think the Count would have no hesitation in destroying this whole ship."

"Well, we can't have that. We'll have to be subtle, though. They already think I'm responsible for bringing the kitsune on board."

"You didn't have to show him to them."

"No. But it was so much fun to watch them scurry around like that." Q's eyes lost their merriment in an instant. "That little incident will also encourage the Count to keep his pets off my bridge. I won't have his pets threatening my pets."

"Jean-Luc would have a stroke if he heard you referring to him and his crew as pets."

Q laughed as an image of Jean-Luc, livid with rage, stomping and shouting suddenly grabbed his chest and fell over with a thud. "Yes. That would be amusing, wouldn't it? I'll tell him when it starts getting dull around here." Q left Ten-Forward without waiting to hear Guinan's rebuke. She hated it when he teased the Enterprise's crew, for some reason.

The man was Leon Barns, now, but it was clear that this was the brother the little boy was looking for. He found Leon sleeping in a friend's quarters and woke the man with soft whisper. "The boy's in trouble."

Leon woke groggily and groaned as he pulled himself out of sleep. "Boy?" He muttered, confused.

"That nice little boy you met at D's. Chris. He's lost and alone on deck 7. You have to go rescue him." Q used more than just words to get Leon out of bed, he used a compulsion. Compulsion was something Q rarely used. It wasn't much fun to force people to do what he wanted them to do. Q much preferred to adjust the situation and watch how people reacted to it. Still, this was the most efficient and least conspicuous way to get the boy away from the Enterprise's crew.

Leon stood up and began to dress himself. He didn't notice Q in the room with him because Q didn't want him to. It was a useful and extremely easy talent, easier than a thought. He watched Leon leave the room, satisfied. Humans were so easy to manipulate. He knew Leon would go to where the boy was and he knew Leon would get the boy away from counselor Troi. He'd implanted the knowledge that Leon didn't want anyone to see him taking the boy away from the counselor, so there wouldn't be a fuss. Just to be sure, though, Q decided he'd follow Leon and watch to make sure everything went off flawlessly.

Leon didn't start waking up properly until he was several yards away from his friend's quarters, striding down the corridor with a purpose. He was confused, but didn't hesitate on his way to the boy. This would serve another purpose. Having Leon go back to D's home meant that D would get off the Enterprise all the sooner and Q liked that idea.

In no time at all, they found the boy. Leon was actually walking down one hall that intersected another. It was that other corridor that Leon and Q saw Deanna Troi walking calmly by. With a little help from Q, she passed without noticing Leon. Leon stopped walking when he saw her and waited. A few yards behind Deanna Troi walked a little blonde boy.

'Quietly." Q advised Leon. "You must be quiet. If she hears you, she'll cause you a lot of problems." Leon didn't hear him, not really. It was more accurate to say that Q spoke inside of Leon's mind. Not telepathy. That would have been to clumsy and the very person he didn't want to alert, Deanna, would have heard it without difficulty. In fact, Leon would never guess that the idea to be quite and do this without alerting counselor Troi wasn't his own.

Leon obeyed Q's suggestion. He stole up to the corner of the intersection and grabbed the little boy's arm. A single swift tug and the little boy was pulled into Leon's arms. Leon then picked the boy up and began walking very fast down the corridor he'd just come, away from Deanna..

Chris struggled when he was lifted so suddenly off his feet and Q had to block the boy's mental shout from the nosey counselor who would no doubt have tried to follow him. That would have led to more interfering from Q and that just took all the fun out of this whole situation. If they were going to have this kind of mess on his favorite starship, then he should at least get the fun of watching it play out. The inconvenience and insult that his domain should be invaded by D, it really wasn't all that bad. He was amused by both the crew of the Enterprise and the Kami's attempts to keep a low profile. Now that the kitsune was known and hunted it would make life a little more difficult for D and Deanna would turn around eventually and see her young charge was missing. She would inform Jean-Luc, Q himself would be blame, and it would set off another maddening search for the mysterious, vanishing child. Yes. That would be lots of fun to watch.

"Hey, kid, don't wiggle. It's me." Leon was quick to reassure the boy Q knew was Leon's brother in another life.

-Leon!- Chris realized who had grabbed him and smiled wildly, throwing his arms around Leon and let himself be carried. He was smart enough not to run and call attention to himself, but he did walk very quickly and didn't set Chris down until they were well away from counselor Troi. Once they'd gone into one of the turbolifts, Leon finally set Chris down, but kept the boy close to his side with an arm over his shoulder.

"Kid, what are doing wandering around? D's gonna tan your backside. He's probably worried sick." Leon put a hand to his head and Q guessed that Leon was starting to realize how odd it was that he'd gone rushing out in the middle of a sound sleep just to pull Chris away from the ship's counselor, whom Leon knew wasn't a danger. Leon would likely pass it off as just a whim that he should go for a walk in the middle of the night and he wouldn't think anymore of it.

-I was looking for you and I got lost and...-

Q's attention wandered away from the sticky sweet conversation and around the ship. Though he was still with the two brothers, Q really wasn't at all interested in their bonding time. Instead he went to peek at counselor Troi who was speaking rapidly. At first glance, she was talking to herself, but the reply of Jean-Luc's voice told him she was talking to her communicator badge.

"He vanished! I'd swear he was just a step or two behind me, when I turned to check on him, he was gone!" She sounded more irritated than anything.

Jean-Luc sounded tired when he replied and Q wondered if the man had been sleeping when the counselor woke him. Hmmm...there was an interesting idea. He could pay Jean-Luc a dream-time visit. That might be fun. The subconscious of any mortal creature was sly and tricky. Now what would Jean-Luc dream about when all his defenses were down? Did he dream of his family on Earth or that red haired spit-fire, Beverly Crusher? There would be time enough to play with Jean-Luc after D left the Enterprise and was back where he belonged, on Earth.

"Vanished?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Vanished. This could have something to do with the kitsune, if Data was right about its disguise power."

Q lost interest after that and moved his attention onward, though careful to note that Leon and Chris had left the turbolift and were nearly at the door of D's quarters. He saw most of the ship moving along in its usual, hum-drum way and no sign of the kitsune. That meant that it was back in the domain of D, where it couldn't affect the ship or the crew. There was, however, another creature loose. It was a strange looking animal, angry and hungry. It roamed the corridors with it's nose alternately in the air and snuffing at the floor.

'Trying to find the boy?' Q mused. 'D didn't send him, I'd bet. He'd have gone after the boy himself.' It was an interesting animal and not so dangerous as the kitsune. The Tou-Tetsu wasn't so clever or sly. The only real danger it presented was that it might eat one or two of the crew before they found it. Still, it was nothing but an animal and Q knew the Enterprise crew would kill it as soon as they found it. So Q moved his attention away, again, and found Guinan in her quarters just adjacent to Ten-Forward where he'd left here. She knew he was there and scowled at him.

"Are you finished?"

"Almost. They're at D's quarters now and D just opened the door. He's not happy that I'm here, but he's pleased the boy's home." Q listened to the conversation and the not-so-subtle suggestion that Leon spend the night. He laughed when Leon nearly ran away in a fit of nerves. "Humans..."

Q turned his attention to the corridor where Leon was running and saw the crow flying towards both Q and Leon. It landed easily on Leon's shoulder, but cast a glance at Q.

"Thank you. From myself and Count D." The crow told Q. "You've saved us both much trouble."

"I didn't do it for you." Q told her, stiffly. "As far as I'm concerned, the child could die. It wouldn't matter to me."

"It would, in the end. The child is as dear to the Count as Leon is. He would be most displeased if something were to happen to the child."

"Then that's his affair. He shouldn't have brought the child with him out into the danger of the Void."

"You do make sense but, when in the grips of grief, the Kami of Earth are not prone to reason or logic. One Kami, locked in his grief, went mad and tried very hard to destroy Earth. If this D tried the same thing, he would surely succeed in destroying this ship and if you stopped him by killing him, you would have his grandsire to deal with. I think you wouldn't like that."

"No. Probably not. Still, I won't keep helping out like this. You tell your master to hurry it up and get back to Earth where he belongs." He looked suspiciously at the crow. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be guarding your Kami's precious humans?"

"No. I guard this one." She shook her head, elegantly. "I think I tire of this waiting game, however."

"Then end it." Q urged. If the bird could get D off the ship, then the sooner the better.

"No. I will not. That's not my role in this game. They must sort it out themselves. Too much was left unsaid and undone the last time. This time, they'll do it all themselves."

Q didn't bother to hide his sigh of impatience. "What, exactly, is it they have to do?"

"It's nothing all that impressive. Nothing that will shake the universe or even this ship. Probably, no one will even notice but the two of them. Anyway, it's not something you should be concerned about. It'll happen, given good luck."

"Luck? Isn't that an invention of the human imagination?" Q arched an eyebrow.

"That question raises issues of reality and it's too late to speak of such things. Do not to interfere. Everything will work out well in the end, providing of course...but I'll see about that." The whole conversation had taken place in the time that it took for a human heart to beat, then Leon rounded a corner with the crow and they were gone.

Q turned his attention back to D, now standing in the doorway of his quarters with his hands on Chris' shoulders as he urged the boy inside. D paused and nodded his head once in Q's direction. A silent thanks.

Leon-

Leon fell right back asleep as soon as he got back to Reggie's quarters. After a quick pit stop at his own quarters for another dose of his medications and letting Jill relieve herself in her sandbox, Leon headed right back for Reggie's. He was glad he hadn't woken Reggie both when he left or when he came back, and slumped into bed, feeling more tired than he had in a long time.

Jill was waiting for him with a strange look on her face. "Don't look at me like that." Leon told her, grumpily. He wasn't used to running about in the middle of the night and God only knew why or how he'd run into Chris so late. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that Chris was safe at home with D. It felt uncomfortably like someone was rummaging around in his brain, making him do things he didn't want to do.

Jill spread her wings and glided from where she'd been perched on the headboard to land on Leon's lap. She nuzzled his arm with her beak and looked up at him.

"Don't ask me." Leon pulled out his little hypospray and inserted a pill into the chamber before pressing it to his arm. "I'll be damned if I know what's going on." D had looked at him like...like he was hungry or something. It had made goose-bumps rise all over Leon and a pleasant burning in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on and he didn't like it. Like he was trying to do a puzzle, but someone was hiding the pieces. D had them. Leon was pretty sure of that. D in his dreams...Leon had never forgotten the D he'd dreamed of as a child or the comfort those dreams had given him.

The medicine brought a sense of relief to Leon. He was glad he'd woken up in time, he'd actually forgotten to take his meds before going to sleep. It was strange. Never, since the day he'd started taking them, had Leon forgotten. Must have been all the excitement in meeting D. Excitement...yeah. Leon couldn't help a pleased smile that crossed his lips before he fell asleep. D was exciting in a way Leon had never felt before.

Leon slept peacefully until morning when he heard Reggie moving around in the outer rooms.

He hadn't really meant to spend the whole night at Reggie's place, but it worked out well. In fact, it was the best rest Leon had gotten in ages. He woke up feeling ready for anything and his head clear about D. He wanted D, but he wasn't sure why and he knew it was doomed. He'd gone his whole life without any kind of infatuation, why did his first have to be to some creepy, weird guy in a dress? It wasn't even a very good match. They were obviously nothing alike. What could they possibly have in common? Nothing. Nothing at all.

It scared Leon to death. He'd never felt anything so powerful for any other living creature and he really wasn't sure what to do about it. He should probably ignore the feelings he was having. They'd lead to nothing good.

Reggie nodded a 'good-morning' when Leon saw him eating breakfast, but didn't say anything. He had a bowl of cereal in front of him, one of those tasteless health-food things, and was fiddling with some kind of mechanical thing. Leon really wasn't sure what it was, but Reggie seemed fascinated by it. It had probably once been something very useful and ordinary, but at the moment, it was little more than a pile of circuitry and metal laid out on Reggie's table. The table wasn't just littered with little bits of circuitry, it was piled high with things and bits 'n bobs.

"What is that?" Leon asked when he sat at the table. He snatched Reggie's little palm-held computer pad from under one of the piles of metal and typed in his code. The little computer was connected to the rest of the Enterprise and could tell him anything he needed to know, including his schedule for the day.

"I'm not sure yet." Reggie smiled softly, though his mind was still completely on whatever it was he was trying to do. "I think it used to be a table."

"A table? That?"

"Yes. I think so. Maybe it was a food dispenser." It was times like this that Reggie seemed happiest. He was completely lost in whatever little world he'd created for himself, imagining the possibilities of what he could create. "There's food around here, somewhere."

Leon made himself breakfast and finally settled down to look at the borrowed computer pad and frowned at the message. It was to all security officers.

ATTENTION: INTRUDER LOOSE WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE. NO TRACKING POSSIBLE AS OF YET. PROVEN DANGEROUS. ENERGY BLASTS FROM FOREHEAD. INJURED.

APPEARANCE: FOX-LIKE MAMMAL. NINE TAILS. APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET TALL, THREE FEET LONG, NOT COUNTING TAILS. COLOR: WHITE. TWO RED CIRCLE MARKS ON FOREHEAD.

INTELLIGENCE: UNKNOWN.

ORDERS: CAPTURE. PHASOR SET ON STUN WILL INJURE CREATURE, BUT WILL NOT STUN FULLY. UNKNOWN WHAT OTHER SETTINGS WILL DO. IF SEEN, REPORT TO LIEUTENANT WORF. IF LIFE OF CREW OR SAFETY OF SHIP IS THREATENED, KILL.

Leon scratched his head. Well, that was weird. Still, he'd keep his eyes open. If he was supposed to deliberately hunt for it, no doubt there would be a secondary note attached to the one Leon had just read. As it was, he'd just have to watch for it and report if he saw it. Leon scrolled down to the next message.

AWAY TEAM NOTIFICATION: LEON BARNS WILL REPORT AT 1100 HOURS TO TRANSPORTER ROOM 4. MISSION TO ACTURA IV, RESCUE MISSION FOR COLONISTS INFECTED BY PLAGUE. YOUR OBJECTIVE: GUARD DOCTORS AND OFFICER FROM ANY AND ALL DANGERS. PROJECTED TIME OF MISSION: SIX HOURS. END.

It was a simple message and one that Leon liked. 1100 hours, huh? Two hours. He'd have to get his meds and take a dose, it had been quite a while since his last one. Probably should grab a quick shower and...

SQUAWK!

Jill flew out from the bedroom where Leon had been sleeping and nearly crashed into him. Leon laughed when she landed noisily on the table between Leon and Reggie. "What have you been doing? You were so quiet all this time."

Reggie didn't even look up when Jill had made her noisy entrance. "I can't go this morning." Reggie said, not looking up from his mess of stuff. "Sorry."

"Huh?" Leon looked away from Jill and at Reggie. "Go? Go where?" He felt like he's missed a whole conversation.

"You wanted to go to Count D's quarters again, remember? I've got second shift duty, so I have to be in engineering in a few minutes. By the way, did you think of an excuse for going, yet? Will he think it strange that we just pop up out of no where?"

Leon had completely forgotten. If he just went there it might look strange. All the bizarre feelings and thoughts that Count D inspired in him didn't help Leon at all. He felt himself starting to blush and tried to hide it from Reggie by concentrating on Jill. He did need an excuse. "I'll think of one." There had to be some excuse for going back. Something that didn't make Leon look like he just wanted to see D for pleasure's sake. It was important that Reggie see the magic close and what the rest of D's home was like. If Reggie saw it, then Leon knew he wasn't seeing things.

Before any of that, Leon needed his meds and Reggie needed to get to work. Reggie left his tinkering on the table, reluctantly, and make sure he looked respectable before they left together. Since main engineering was on the way to Leon's quarters, he and Reggie walked together most of the way.

"Man, thanks for the breakfast." Leon said as soon as they walked out of Reggie's quarters. He had so much to thank Reggie for, but this was a start.

"No problem."

Leon didn't like the changes he noticed in Reggie as they walked along. It started out just fine, Reggie was normal and chatty when they left Reggie's quarters. The closer they got to main engineering, though, the quieter Reggie became. He started to fidget with his hands and began to nervously look around with shifting eyes, as if he were afraid someone was going to sneak up on him.

"Are you all right?" Leon asked, worried.

"Oh...." Reggie was quiet and then gave Leon a forced smile. "Yes. Yes. Just fine. Oh, here we are." When he looked at the doorway of main engineering, Reggie hesitated and seemed to gather up his courage. "Well, I'll just...um...be going...I guess."

It was just like in Ten-Forward. It seemed that Reggie couldn't bear to be around other people. On his own, he was fine, but when other people were around he lost all his confidence.

"I don't go on duty till the whole away mission thing, it's in a few hours. I'll say bye, if nothing else." He waited until Reggie had walked into main engineering before leaving and stayed a moment to watch Reggie. He didn't like it at all. Reggie was very subservient to the other engineers and they didn't seem to think anything of it. From what little Leon saw, Reggie nodded quickly whenever anyone said something to him and rushed off to do what he was told. He seemed very nervous all the time and fairly ran to hide when Captain Picard happened to walk through. 'We'll have to work on that.' Leon decided, starting away. 'He's too good to be acting like that.'

Deanna Troi-

Deanna wasn't having a good morning. She hadn't slept at all, thinking of the little blonde boy she'd met and now she had to figure out a way to convince everyone that she hadn't been imagining things, when even the computers didn't show anything of the little boy when they checked the records. All they showed was Deanna talking to herself in the corridor. She knew she'd seen him!  
"Man, thanks for the breakfast."

"No problem."

Deanna stopped in her tracks, all thoughts of everything else vanishing at the sight of Reg Barclay and that rude, blonde man she'd met on the shuttle craft walking out of Reg's room, together. They both seemed happy enough, though the blonde man was brushing his hair with his hand and still rubbing his eyes, as if he'd just gotten out of bed.

"I mean it. What would I do without you?" Leon, yes, that was his name, slapped Reg on the back as they started down the hall together. "You sure it's okay for Jill to stay at your place? She can go back to my quarters, if you like."

"It's all right. You'll be back for dinner, though, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it. The away mission can't take all that long."

They turned a corner and vanished, neither one of them noticing Deanna watching them. She was surprised that Reg had never mentioned that he was homosexual in any of their meetings. Funny. She thought he trusted her enough to tell her all those little details. Even funnier, she didn't think Reg would fall in love with someone like Leon. Reg was such a nice, good person and Leon struck Deanna had being vastly different. He was loud and rude and...

'Stop it.' Deanna told herself. This was just the sort of thing she was trained not to do, making snap judgments. There were lots of reasons why Leon Barns might have been rude to her on the shuttle craft. She didn't even know him and she'd tried to strike up a conversation. Some people didn't like strangers being so forward and would do anything to distance themselves from uncomfortable socializing. He might have been having a bad case of jitters about starting on a starship for the first time. Then again, he might have just had a real bad day. Whatever the reason, Deanna had known the moment she met him that Mr. Barns had having some serious stress. His emotions were in turmoil and her approaching him had only made things worse.

'It shouldn't be such a surprise.' Deanna told herself as she shook her head and continued on to her own quarters. 'I saw them hugging in Ten Forward, in front of everyone.' What was it that Mr. Barns had said to Reg? It was apparently more than simple teasing as Deanna had first thought. "I'm gonna start thinking you don't love me anymore."

She was happy for Reg, despite that Mr. Barns didn't seem to like her much at all. From what little she'd seen of Mr. Barns and Reg together, Mr. Barns seemed to make Reg much more confident. Reg didn't stammer or keep looking nervously at his feet when he was with Mr. Barns. 'I wonder if he'll mention it at our next session?'

It was only about twenty minutes after she'd seen them that something registered in Deanna's mind and she came to a halt in mid-step. 'Leon? Chris mentioned a Leon. Leon Barns. Leon Orcot.' She stopped walking and thought back to the mysterious little telepath. 'They certainly looked a lot alike. Enough to be brothers?'

Leon-

Leon hadn't been meaning to stop at D's quarters, but he did, anyway. He wanted to wait for Reggie, but he found himself at the door of D's quarters, regardless. For a long time, Leon stood at the door and just stared at it. 'This is dumb.' Leon scolded himself. 'Not even properly washed up, I shouldn't be visiting people.' But the door slid open of its own accord and Leon took it as an invitation. The room was still starkly empty and Leon went directly to the magic closet. He didn't care what Reggie said. He knew what he'd find and he was right.

The stairway led down into D's real home and all Leon's thoughts about telling a superior what he'd discovered about D faded from his mind the further he went down the stairs. He wasn't going to tell anyone. He wouldn't bring Reggie here, either. In fact, he'd stop by engineering and tell Reggie to forget the whole thing. He didn't want anyone else near D.

It all felt so familiar, but Leon wasn't afraid. Not really. Opening the large doors at the foot of the stairs felt like going home and familiar scents wafted out at him. The first thing Leon saw was D, standing by another set of doors. He had been looking at someone or something back there and turned when Leon came in.

"How's Chris?"

"Asleep. Finally. I am afraid he was very worried about a friend of his who has not come home, yet. He went to look for Chris, but got lost himself."

"You got other people living here?"

"A few. This particular person is in no danger, though. I have already seen to his well being."

Leon got right down to business. He wanted answers. "Look, D, I don't know what's going on, but I think you can tell me."

D looked pleasantly surprised, but chose his words very carefully. He didn't move a muscle when he spoke. "What would you like me to tell you, exactly? I will tell you anything you wish to know."

"This," Leon waved his arms all around at the dim, smoky room. "It all feels like...home. That can't be. I've never met you before and the only places I've ever lived in have been children's homes. How can any of this be here? It's just not possible." Leon wrapped his arms around himself and shifted his eyes away from D, to the panels on the walls that were like window, letting light into the hallway, though there was nothing beyond them. They were ornate cut outs with light as bright as sunlight streaming into the halls and giving plenty of light to see. He looked at anything but D's intense eyes. "I think I've dreamed of this place all my life. Is this real?"

Leon felt very vulnerable and he didn't like it. He didn't want to leave, though.

"Yes." D began walking to Leon, his long dress making soft swishing noises at every step. He was graceful and elegant an when he reached Leon and tentatively put a hand on Leon's arm, as if he were afraid of how Leon would react. "This is real. This is home. Once, long ago, you lived here. We were so happy, before you died. No. That is not quite true. You visited so often, it was as if you lived here. Your brother lives with me."

"Brother?" Leon's mind flashed back to his dreams of long ago. How many times had he dreamed of a little brother? A brother who looked just like him, but never spoke a word. "You mean, that boy? You have Chris and..." And in his dreams his brother had been named Chris.

"Yes. You are his brother." D smiled and put the palm of his hand on the side of Leon's face. "I told you I was looking after him for his brother. Well, it was you who asked me to care for him as you died." D's smile vanished and his face took on a look of such aching pain that Leon wanted to comfort the man, but he didn't know how. He didn't know what to say or do that could stop the pain in D's eyes. "You wanted the truth, did you not?"

"Yes." Leon wasn't sure what D was talking about, not really, but if D knew the truth, then Leon would have it. "Please. I have to know. How do you know me? Chris knew me when he first saw me. I dreamed of you." Leon blushed when he realized how that must sound, but D didn't look at all offended.

"The truth, then. I am one of the three living D Kami of Earth."

"Kami?"

"A sort of spirit. All places of life have at least one guardian Kami. Earth is the domain of my clan. My sofu, my grandfather, and my young brother being the other two. As I said before, long ago this was your home. This is my petshop, my home, and the place where I sealed contracts with humans. They would come desiring a pet and I would give them what they most deserved. You found me Leon when your job drew me to your attention and I had a hard time trying to get rid of you after that. You grew on me, I will admit. You are so very dear to me. You died defending your brother when a burglar came into this petshop. When your death nearly broke me, one of the ancients who dwelt within this petshop, the phoenix, took your soul and promised to return you to me. Now we are together again. I have been waiting for you for so long. For hundreds of years I have waited." He sounded as if he might cry at that last and Leon stared blankly at the smaller man, unable to stop himself. "Leon...please, stay with me."

"Stay?" Leon balked at the idea. He felt overwhelmed with the impossible idea that D had planted in his mind. Leon stepped back, out of D's reach, and started to babble. "I can't stay. I've got duties. Responsibilities. They're expecting me for the landing party; I've only got a little while to spare. I have to leave." Part of him couldn't believe anything that D had just told him, but part of Leon was jumping for joy that someone had just explained all the strange dreams he'd had. But...Kami? Guardian spirits and reincarnation? This wasn't the dark ages; who believed in magic these days?

The raw anguish on D's face was awful to look at, but Leon also couldn't look away. "Must you?"

"There's a rescue mission to Actura IV and I'm part of the landing party. They need me."

"They can find another security guard. -I- need you! Chris needs you!" D grabbed Leon again, fingers tightened around Leon's arm, almost painfully. It was a possessive, desperate grasp and it disturbed Leon more than it would have if D had sunk his lethal looking fingernails into Leon's flesh. "I have waited for you, I have been patient."

Leon shook his head. "This can't be. It was just a dream. Just some weird coincidence..." Then why did Leon feel like he would break down into tears if D began crying? He prayed that D wouldn't cry. He couldn't bear it. "None of it was real. I need reality. Those dreams are a curse. I need what's solid and stable, or..." If he accepted that D's explanation was real, then what about all the humanoid animals he remembered from his childhood? Were they real, too? Had he been taking that damned medication of Mr. Goti's for so many years for no reason?

"Or what?" D pressed.

"I'm afraid I'll lose myself." Leon couldn't believe he'd said that to someone he'd known only a few hours. What if he started dreaming again and never woke up?

"Would it be so bad to lose yourself in dreams?" D came closer, again, causing Leon to back up a step until his back was against a wall. "Your reality is laced with fear. Every day you fear your secret being discovered, you fear death if you are not discovered. I can give you such beautiful dreams." He reached one slender hand up and stroked the side of Leon's face, dragging his fingernails down Leon's cheek. "No more fear and no more danger. Just stay with me."

Leon felt his eyes burning, but he didn't know why. Without really intending to, Leon mimicked D and reached his hand out to touch D's face. His blunt, callused fingers brushed though D's silken hair and barely graced the skin as soft as a butterfly's wing. Leon didn't to stop. "People are depending on me. I can't live in dreams, not even happy dreams."

D's face hardened. "It was NOT a dream. None of it was 'just' a dream. It was real. It was our life!"

Leon felt himself start to get angry and he took his fingers out of D's hair. Better to be angry than frightened. "You're nuts! You don't even know what I'm talking about." What if D was just mocking him? Playing to Leon's weak points? He wanted so badly for this all to be true. To have real family. To have a home. To have D.

"Oh? What do I not know about?" D gave a wicked smile, filled with things Leon couldn't begin to understand. "Shall I tell you about Jill, the lovely lady with curly brown hair and spectacles? Shall I tell you about when your mother died and you had to give your only brother to your aunt and uncle before you were taken away to an orphanage? When little Chris stopped talking because his cousin told him that he was a devil child who had killed his mother? The first day you walked into my petshop, you were looking for information about the white lizard Robin Hendrix bought. The next day your brought me a box of sweets from Hotel M and I told you the story of the Medusa. You were a detective and so proud to be one. Do you remember our vacation to the islands when the volcano exploded or the time we watched the Sakura blossoms with the musicians playing so sweetly just for us?"

"Stop it!" Leon shouted, putting both hands to his head and turning away from D. "Just shut up!" 'This can't be happening. It's not real. I'm not crazy. But he knows....all those things...in my dreams...I remember them!' He needed a minute to think.

D didn't stop as Leon had asked, but he did continue in a quietly persistent voice. "You lived another life before this one, Leon. You were a police detective in San Francisco, California, a very good police officer. You were a very good man. You lived in a run down apartment with pornographic posters of naked women all over your walls and you always refused to take them down. I always thought you kept them up just to annoy me. You had a disgusting habit of smoking and I had to flush your cigarettes down the toilet to help you quit." He stepped back, this time. Stepped away from Leon, as if to give him room to breathe and Leon was grateful. D's voice was much softer when he spoke again. "It is all right if you do not remember. Few people who are reborn remember what their lives had once been. I had hoped that because the phoenix was close to you, you would have some understanding of your dreams."

"I don't dream. Not anymore."

"I know." D's head hung. "I will have revenge for that, also."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." D looked back at Leon, desperate longing in his eyes. "When will you let me in? You are afraid. I understand, but...once, long ago, you trusted me. Will you trust me again? Just for a little while." D leaned his face into Leon's hand and he closed his eyes, as if reveling in the touch.

Leon didn't want to cause D pain, he didn't want to hurt anyone. "I...I only have a short time. They'll start looking for me. I don't want them to come here. There would be questions and...and," Leon's hand moved from D's face down to his shoulder and it felt so frail under Leon's hand. "And I don't want them to find this place."

"You are leaving this ship to go to another planet, are you not?" D's grief laden voice spoke as if it were the end of the world. "I have no way to protect you, where you are determined to go." D took Leon's hand and began leading him away from the parlor, back into the interior of the petshop and to the twin doors that led deeper into the petshop. "No living humans has set eyes on my home in so many hundreds of years and none has ever been so welcomed as you are."

They went though miles of hallways until, eventually, they came to a room and D slid the doors open, beckoning for Leon to enter ahead of him. The room was lit only by a tall standing candelabra in a corner. The bed was quite low and partly hidden by a draping canopy, so delicate that it looked like spider silk in the dim light. "I can not make you stay." D said, sliding the doors closed behind him. "I will ever force you to do something against your will." Leon couldn't take his eyes off D and he felt his breath quicken. He knew what D wanted, it was pretty obvious at this point. "But once I made a mistake. I was a fool. I will not make such a mistake again." He took Leon's hands and held them, his thumbs stroking the back of Leon's hands. "I love you."

Leon felt his breath coming faster and faster, his hands started to sweat, and his heart was beating painfully against his chest. "I..."

D broke away from Leon and went to the candelabra. He blew out one of the seven candles. "You are afraid. Of me?" He blew out a second candle. "I have been waiting to tell you that. I promised myself that I would not be such an arrogant, stubborn fool when next we met. I once thought I could withstand you. I once thought you would always be there." He laughed, though not happily. "You were always so stubborn, so resilient. It was better to keep you happy and content, rather than press the issue. I was happy so long as you were near. I still am." D raised a hand and passed it though the small flame of the third candle. He didn't flinch at the lick of the fire. "I have regretted my silence for too long. I never told you how much I need you."

"I should go." Leon felt like a coward and hated himself. How could he answer that? How could D need him? He was worthless except as an experiment for Mr. Goti. He was like a hundred other kids who'd been pumped full of drugs, the only difference was that he'd been one of the few to survive. He couldn't even get off the drugs, like Reggie had, so how could someone like D need him?

"Why?"

Leon opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He had six hours before he had to be anywhere. Jill was happy and content in Reggie's quarters. There really was nowhere else he had to be. "Look..." How was he supposed to deal with this? Didn't most people go through this sort of thing as a teenager? Leon must have missed that part of adolescence. He wanted to stay. But...

"I will not force you to do anything, my Lion." D ran his fingers through the flames of another candle. "There are many things I wish to do, but if it frightens you or hurts you, I will not. I only ask that you stay here where you are safe."

"I'm not frightened." It was an see through lie and Leon knew D wasn't fooled. "But I have to go. It's important. There's a plague and the doctors have to be guarded while they're handing out the medicine."

"You still intend to go?" D's voice was getting angrier at every word. "I can not protect you when you leave this ship. Do you understand? I can not even properly protect you outside my petshop. If you go you will be in great danger!" D whirled on Leon, a furious butterfly in a swirl of color, and grabbed him by both shoulders, shocking Leon with the hidden strength in those thin hands. "You may die, again! I would not be able to stand it! I can not survive seeing you die a second time!"

Seeing D so enraged, Leon gave in. He did what he'd wanted to do since he first saw D and ignored all his paranoia that told him to keep his distance.

Leon seized both of D's wrists and pried them off his shoulders. Holding D's wrists in his hands, Leon brought both of his hands together, holding them over D's, and leaned forward to give D a chaste kiss. The room was so quiet that the only thing Leon could hear was his heart thundering. When he pulled back from the kiss and dropped D's hands, Leon said, "I promise."

"What?" D whispered, his eyes wide with shock. Leon wondered if he shouldn't have done what he did.

"I promise I'll come back. So, no more hysterics, got it? You drive me crazy!" He turned and stomped out of the petshop, going as fast as he couldn't without actually running.

Once back out in the sterile white of the Enterprise, with all the normal, ordinary people moving about their lives, did Leon slow his pace. To say he was happy would have been a vast understatement. Leon couldn't remember feeling like this, not since he'd been a very small child. He felt so light that he though he'd just float away. 'I can't believe I did that!'

Leon smiled so widely he thought his face might split. That kiss...not only the bravest thing he'd ever done in his life, but the best thing he'd ever done in his life. Kami...reincarnation...any other kind of magic, Leon didn't care anymore. He'd sort it all out later.

Right. Time to go on his first away mission.

to be continued...

Bet you're all wondering what happened to Tet-chan, huh? 


	11. A Targ Named Bradley

Warning for Leon's bad language.

How Long Love Chapter 11: A Targ Named Bradley

Elsewhere-  
Tet-chan-

'Right when dinner was almost ready!' Tet-chan couldn't help the thought and he really didn't try to. Not only did Chris have to sneak off, but he chose the worst time to do it. His soufflé was never going to survive with Pon-chan watching it. At this rate, the Count was going to be reduced to eating that replicated garbage that was passed off as food and Tet-chan didn't k now if he could stand the shame of that.  
It was morning now, hours since he'd run out of the petshop looking for Chris and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was going on back at home. Surely, the Count was angry. Chris had only just woken up and now he was helplessly wandering around this dangerous new place, but Tet-chan couldn't even find him.

Tet-chan had long since passed being worried. He wasn't even angry anymore. Now he was just scared and he hated being scared. More than anything else, he loathed being frightened. It made him feel weak. If there was anything he was sure of, it was that he, the legendary Tou-Tetsu, was NOT weak. He was strong. Savage. Deadly.

So why was he skulking around, trying to hide in shadows that didn't exist?

Oh, yeah. Chris. He was doing this for Chris. The boy had better appreciate it. Humans were food, not something to rescue and certainly not to hide from. 'I'm not hiding. I'm...searching.' Yeah. That sounded much better.

He couldn't go senselessly attacking the humans on the ship, he'd get spotted and then it would be twice as hard to find Chris. Sneaking was the only way he could do this. Why, he might have to kill all the humans on the ship and he wouldn't be able to eat all that meat before it went rancid. 'I could share...' The thought crossed Tet-chan's mind for just a brief moment before it fled and was forgotten. Tou-Tetsu's didn't share. They weren't social animals by nature.

He went on for a good long while and his mood didn't improve at all. He'd lost Chris' scent when Chris had gone into one of those elevator things, the turbo lifts, and wasn't able to find it. To make it worse, he was limited to one level of the ship because he couldn't operate the controls of the turbo lift without drawing attention to himself. If he could have, he'd have asked Mellow for help, but he hadn't had time to even find out if Mellow was still in the ship's computer or if she'd gone back to the Count's personal little computer. He didn't even know how to find out.

He was on his own and, from what he'd heard of Ten-chan's little adventure, he might not even be able to assume his human-like disguise. Better not to try. He was better able to defend himself if humans thought he was an animal. On the other hand, if he took his humanoid shape, he wouldn't have to hide. The Ship was all white and insanely brightly lit. There were no shadows and no darkness. How was one supposed to hunt? Beside that, his humanoid shape meant that it wouldn't take such a long time. He looked human enough when he tried and it was nearly impossible to find ways to hide. He could just ask the crew if they'd seen a small blonde boy. In his humanoid shape, he'd have his long, heavy knife he always carried to hunt with and...

"I'm Alexander." There was a small alien child standing in front of Tet-chan and he was shamed. How could he have been so distracted that he let a child discover him? "My father once had a targ for a pet." The child was very young, at least Tet-chan believe it was a child. Male, by the outward appearance. In fact, the child was really no bigger than Chris, but those were the only similarities. This child's skin was much darker and his hair was coarse and thick, coming only to his shoulders where it was neatly cut off. His skin was quite dark, but no darker than that of many humans, with small ridges on his forehead. The child was dressed, like everyone else Tet-chan had seen on this miserable ship, in a dual colored, one piece jumpsuit. It was awful looking and had no sense of style of originality at all.

Tet-chan growled, letting his large fangs show and hoping the child would run away. He didn't have time for hit sand it just plain irritated him that a child had managed to spot him. His fangs were enough to make most grown humans soil themselves, but the child began to smile. He wasn't the least bit afraid, but Tet-chan thought he might be mistaken. After all, the child obviously wasn't human. Perhaps his fear smelled differently. No. That wasn't fear. The child looked like he might laugh, though.

"Are you hungry?" Alexander asked, holding his hand out to Tet-chan. "I didn't know there were any targs on the Enterprise. I suppose you got loose from somewhere, huh? Father won't let me have a pet. Maybe he'll let me keep you. He likes Targs; it's not like you're a cat. He hates cats. Says they're nasty, sly things."

'What the Hell is a targ?' Tet-chan wondered, keeping his distance from the boy. There was no time for this! He had to find Chris.

-Chis is home now, dear Tet-chan.- The Count's voice was the only thing that made Tet-chan stop from turning away from the child and bolting. He kept his eyes on the child, weary that the alien Alexander might prove to be far more dangerous than human children, but listened carefully to the Count. His bad mood had vanished almost instantly when he heard Chris was safe. Still, it wouldn't do to let down his guard.

-Where was he? I've been looking everywhere.-

-Just on an errand. There is nothing to worry about and I am sure he will tell you when you return home. However, at the moment I have a favor to ask.- The Count was always doing that. He never ordered anyone to do anything, but he asked so sweetly that it was impossible to refuse.

-Anything.- Tet-chan knew it was a dangerous answer, but didn't regret it. Not a bit.

-The child you are with wants you to go with him. Do it. I had intended to use Ten-chan as my eyes and ears on this ship, but he is unable to use his disguise and is weakened. Will you take his place?-

-I am not what this child thinks I am. He believes I am a targ.- The Count's request did make sense. If he used Alexander's home to hide in, when he wasn't prowling the ship, Tet-chan wouldn't have to go to the petshop so often and, therefore, he wouldn't draw unwanted attention there. -Can I use my other shapes?-

-I believe so. Ten-chan's sad fate was a warning from...others of my kind on this ship. They are unwilling to let me too close to those of power. Make sure you stay away from the bridge of the ship and the captain. I think it best that you do not hunt here, Tet-chan. Keep yourself as secret as possible. Humans will see what they please, but this child's father may prove difficult. He is not a child of Earth, I can not predict how he will see you. Be scarce when he is around. I do not wish you to be in an unsafe situation.- There was real concern in the Count's voice and it made Tet-chan feel weak. He hated feeling weak.

-Yes, master.- No matter how much he didn't want to. Even if it pained him to be away from not only little Chris, but the Count, Tet-chan would do as he was asked because it was the Count asking. He couldn't imagine refusing. -I'll be alert for anything going on.-

-Thank you. I trust you, Tet-chan. Report anything that might involve my Leon.-

-Yes, Count.- So, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, Tet-chan turned back to Alexander and wondered exactly how he should behave as a targ. When he wasn't playacting the role of a harmless pet for the child, he would try to take his humanoid shape to more easily wander the ship. That should take him away from the child's father.

"It's funny." Alexander obviously saw no reason to fear Tet-chan and came right up to look in Tet-chan's face. "Father never said anything about targs having horns. I thought he said they had tusks." That little discrepancy didn't seem to really bother Alexander and he gave Tet-chan a soft pat on the head. He either didn't notice or just ignored Tet-chan's bristling and muffled growl.

Tet-chan hated being treated like a pet. He knew he shouldn't be so insulted, he was a pet. He was Count D's pet. Everything he was belonged to the Count. Pet. Slave. Yes, he was both and knew it. Slave was a bit strong of a word. The Count would never...

'No more. There's work to do.' Tet-chan firmly told himself.

Alexander put his little hand on the back Tet-chan's neck and began leading him away, all the while talking about his father and how Tet-chan would like their home. Tet-chan allowed the touch without the slightest hint of aggression, but Alexander's next comment nearly made him reconsider.

"I think I'll call you Bradley. Which one do you like better?"

'No. Don't eat him. This is for the Count.'

Petshop-  
D-

Yes. That was good. Now Tet-chan was on the ship D would be able to know the general attitude of the crew and the atmosphere of the ship. It was useful, but not absolutely necessary. D liked to know what was going on, especially since what went on around the ship intimately involved Leon.

"Here you are, boss." Ten-chan, looking decidedly awkward dressed in Tet-chan's apron, held out a tea cup on a saucer which D took with a smile.

"And when did Tet-chan start teaching you to cook, Ten-chan?" D asked, trying to keep his smile as he looked down at the 'tea'. Why was it orange?

"Oh, never." Ten-chan smiled broadly and went back to the stove where Tet-chan's lovely stew was cheerfully burning, sending black plumes of smoke rising to the ceiling.

D's smile faltered. Tet-chan had only been gone a single night. A few hours, really. How had this happened? Piles of dirty dishes were overflowing from the sink, the stench of it nearly overpowering smell of the burning stew Tet-chan had started just before he'd gone out to look for Chris. The floor was already collecting filthy, along with some of the smaller pets scavenging for snacks. Tet-chan never allowed anyone to sneak snacks; not in his kitchen! "What are you cooking?" D asked as sweetly as he could while Ten-chan busily stirred the burning mess. His head vanished into the smoke when he moved to check the stew.

"Don't really know, boss." Ten-chan smiled over his shoulder. "It was here so I thought I'd keep and eye on it for Tet-chan." He continued blissfully stirring, headless of the odor and the smoke, but for a little cough.

"How kind of you." Tet-chan was going to have fits when he came back and saw the condition of his kitchen. "You really don't have to do that. I can cook perfectly well, Tet-chan simply does it because he thinks it please me."

Ten-chan bounced around, dropping the large spoon he'd been stirring with in the process, though he quickly picked up it and put it back in the stew. D didn't fail to notice that Ten-chan hadn't bothered to even wipe the spoon off and cringed at what he knew Tet-chan would say about that. "It's not bother, boss!" Ten-chan said, brightly. "I screwed up before, so I'll do my best around here till Tet-chan gets back. He always said no one would eat right without him. I'll feed everyone now."

D didn't often feel regret for his actions, at least not in recent years, but now he did. Tet-chan wouldn't be coming back until Leon was safely back on the Enterprise and that would take hours or even longer. He was considering keeping Tet-chan out in the Enterprise until he could get them all back to Earth again. That meant weeks...months...perhaps longer. Months of eating Ten-chan's cooking? 'The kitchen will not survive.' D tried to dismiss his fears. Ten-chan was his most intelligent pet, with the possible exception of Mellow. All right, things hadn't gotten off to such a good start, but Ten-chan would be well able to get the hang of running the kitchen for a few hours.

There Ten-chan was, looking at him with hopeful, worried eyes.

"I am certain you will make a lovely lunch." D smiled for Ten-chan's sake and made to leave the kitchen which was rapidly filling with smoke. He didn't leave before Ten-chan kindly reminded him of the tea and D took it with him into the parlor. "I will let you know when Tet-chan is expected back." Maybe he could get Chris or Pon-chan to help Ten-chan. At least Tet-chan had been teaching Chris a little skill in the kitchen.

D was quite happy as he lounged on his sofa and thought about what was to come. He thought about what his family was doing on Earth. He thought about how he would deal with the two resident Kami on the Enterprise. He thought about what, exactly, he was going to do to Mr. Brannon Goti when he got his hands on him. Of course, he knew where Brannon Goti was. Baby D was keeping a close eye on him, but so far had nothing good to report. All the better. D didn't want to hear nice things about the person who had done so horrible things to Leon. He wanted to hate the man.

'I shall let Tet-chan have him, perhaps. I think Tet-chan deserves a treat. He does so love hunting his own dinner. He won't even have to share, this time.' The thought made D smiled, maliciously. Tet-chan could have free rein on Earth and hunt the human as far as he pleased.

-Count, you are pleased?- Mellow asked, drawing D's attention to the small, old-fashioned computer, compared to those of the Enterprise, he kept in a discreet corner of the petshop's parlor. In the years since Leon's death, D had added the computer to the one he had in Mellow's small room. If nothing else, it gave Mellow a greater opportunity to see the other pets.

"Yes. Very pleased. Things are finally starting to work out properly." D went to the little computer and sat in the plush chair in front of it, so he could speak to Mellow properly.

-Oh.- There was something about her tone that worried D.

"Is anything the matter?"

-I do not wish to disturb your happiness, Count. I should say nothing.-

D put down the tea and promised himself that he'd remember to throw it away when Ten-chan wasn't looking. "If there is something I should I know, you must tell me, regardless of whether it will make me happy or not." There was no room for careless mistakes, not when Leon was at stake and D had brought all his precious pets with him to a place where he could barely protect them.

-I have found several disconcerting transmissions.-

"Yes, go on."

-This ship will be attacked shortly.-

"I see." This would call for more drastic measures than D had wanted to take.

Engineering-  
Reggie-

The day was going normally, if a bit nerve wracking. Not that it was unusual. Reggie had decided long ago that he was losing his hair because of the stress of his job. Of course, it wasn't actually the stress of engineering that made Reggie stutter and suffer bouts of depression. Engineering was easy. After the years of study he'd done at Mr. Goti's Home, Reggie often thought he could do anything when it came to not only computers, but building and fixing what Starfleet equipped it's ships with. There were times, alone at night, when he even knew he could improve most of what he was saw on the Enterprise.

Reggie's stress came from the people he worked with. He liked them well enough. More than well enough, in fact. Especially Geordie. He'd always admired Geordie's confidence and ease when dealing with other people and with life in general. Geordi was the kind of person Reggie wished he could be. Unfortunately, he couldn't. Reggie never got what Geordi had; a carefree childhood. There was something else, though. Just being around other people made Reggie unbearably nervous. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were laughing at him behind his back and, because of that, he worried every minute of the day.

Paranoia wasn't a happy state of mind, yet Reggie had to deal with it ever since he'd stopped taking his medications.

The morning passed quickly enough with Reggie hidden away near the back of engineering in one of the little alcoves he usually hid in. 'Hiding. Makes me sound like such a coward.' He didn't like to think of it as hiding. He was doing valuable, important work and if he didn't do it, someone else would have to. Reggie rapidly typed the commands into the computer and was satisfied with the result. It was just a monitoring job, to see that the warp core was acting as it was supposed to. The fact was that once one started on this work, tucked out of sight of everyone, one was supposed to finish it and it could take up to six hours. It was perfect. It kept him away from the serious assignments that could lead to being noticed and Reggie definitely didn't want to be noticed. He knew he was smart and if anyone else realized how smart, they would want to put him in a position of responsibility. He'd already gotten one person killed. Reggie couldn't handle another burden of guilt.

He stopped his work and frowned at the thought. He hadn't killed Deirdre, not intentionally. What he had done was almost as bad. Worse, considering her faith in him.

Random chatter from the main part of engineering floated back to Reggie when he heard everyone laughing. He heard Geordi and Data's horrible, faked laughter. From the corner of his eye, Reggie could see people hurrying around, rushing to get everything perfect. Not a single person even glanced at him.

The tedious job gave Reggie opportunities to daydream about his work at home. He still wasn't sure what he was trying to build with the table full of bits and bobs of things, but he was sure it was going to be something wonderful. The more he fiddled with it, the more Reggie could see the patter shaping in his mind. His mind worked funny like that and Reggie wondered if other people saw things in the same way. It was beautiful what he saw in his Mind's Eye. Wires and circuits, shining metal and flawless symmetry. It was like art.

"Hey, Reggie." It was Leon and he put his hand on Reggie's shoulder before Reggie had even turned around from his station.

"My, but don't you look spiffy." Reggie couldn't help but ogle Leon's new uniform. He must have gone back to his own quarters for a shower and general wash up before he got ready for duty. Not only was he dressed in his new gold and black uniform, but he was also sporting his phasors and new com badge. It wasn't much, but it was all he should need on a routine mission like this one. It wasn't really Leon's clothes that caught Reggie's attention, though. There was something about Leon that Reggie had never noticed before. He was almost, well...glowing. "Has something happened?" Reggie cautiously looked over Leon's shoulder to make sure no one was listening in as he knew Leon valued his privacy as much as Reggie did.

"Maybe." Leon couldn't hide his smile no matter how much he tried, which wasn't very hard. He never had been very good as concealing his emotions. In fact, the fact that Leon was teasing at all was an interesting sign. If they weren't in such a public place, Reggie was sure that Leon might have been rocking back and forth on his feet, grinning like a child. "What were you thinking about? You had a weird look on your face and you were smiling."

It was too embarrassing to talk about it, even to Leon. Leon just wouldn't understand it. Oh, he'd be nice about it, but he wouldn't understand. "It's nothing. What about you? You didn't answer my question. What happened to put you on cloud nine." He took a wild stab in the dark. "Is this a maybe that might involve a Count D whom you were so sure was involved in something nefarious?" Okay, maybe it was more than just a guess. Reggie might not be an expert on relationships, but he wasn't blind.

Leon's smile blossomed into something radiant and Reggie knew something wonderful had happened to Leon, obviously involving Count D. "I'll tell you later. Gotta run. Just wanted to tell you to forget what I said about D last night. I think changed my mind."

"Did you go see him without me?" Reggie hoped he didn't sound too encouraging. It was surely a good thing if Leon was so happy about seeing Count D. He'd been so suspicious just the night before, but Reggie knew that could only be nerves. Poor Leon had never been in love before. "I thought you wanted to wait." Best not to embarrass him.

"Yeah. Well...it's just..." A faint blush colored Leon's cheeks, which he quickly killed by scowling and turning his voice harder. "Look, if I wanna go it's my business, right?! I don't need permission."

"Absolutely not." Reggie agreed. It was very hard to hide his amusement.

"It's not like he's got anything to hide. Security let him on in the first place and all his papers are in order. It was just my mind playing tricks on me before." Leon's voice began to rise and he took awkward, sharp steps, pacing as much as he could in Reggie's little alcove.

"Whatever you say."

"He's an alright guy and there's not a reason at all to be..."

Reggie laughed, careful to cover his mouth, least anyone hear him and he distract them from their important work. "All right, all right. I get it. So, you're on good terms with the Count, now?"

Leon lost his bluster and just nodded. "Yeah. I guess. I gotta run. Just wanted to tell you... you know..."

"Not to worry about him? Got it. Not worrying." To be honest, he really wasn't worried in the first place. "Hey, what about," He leaned in close, putting his hand on Leon's shoulder so he could whisper right into Leon's ear. "The meds? You can't take them on the mission, you'd be seen." It was one of Reggie's biggest worries, now that Leon was on the Enterprise. It would go badly for both of them if Leon's addiction should be discovered. Even more worrying was what would happen to Leon, deprived of the meds. At least if he was on the Enterprise, Reggie could take a day or so off and look after Leon.

"Not a problem." Leon hastily assured him. "I just took another dose. I'll be fine till tonight, about ten hours." Leon said his good bye and left and Reggie felt pretty good about it. Leon would be fine and they'd have dinner together, unless Reggie could convince Leon to invite Count D out to dinner, instead.

It was with a lighter heart than usual that Reggie went about his day and began to count down the hours till Leon's return. A couple of the other engineers even came to ask Reggie what he was so happy about, but Reggie would play it down as nothing and keep it to himself. If Leon wanted people to know, that was his business. That didn't stop Reggie, however, from going to meet Count D himself. Even if Leon had said he didn't need to, Reggie had his own reasons for going.

The strange stories Leon had told him about Count D's home were surely exaggerated, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious. More than anything else, Reggie had to make sure this person was, to put it bluntly, worthy of Leon. Yes, Reggie knew it made him sound more than a little like a doting mother hen, but he had reason to worry. If this really was Leon's first love, as Reggie believe it was, then Reggie wanted to be forewarned if Count D was just playing around with Leon.

'I lost Deirdre. I won't lose Leon.' He would have been laughed at if any of his fellow crewmembers had heard him say such a thing. Reggie knew what the general opinion of him was. Mr. Broccoli; even Captain Picard had called him that, right to his face. Of course it was an accident, the captain no doubt had a lot on his mind, but that didn't stop the embarrassment. Right in front of the entire command crew, too. Even counselor Troi, whom he was supposed to trust more than anyone else, was tired of him and his endless worries and fear. He could tell every time they ran into each other in the halls and she would give a weary sigh before smiling brightly at him. Reggie knew everyone thought he was weak, but this was one thing he couldn't be weak about.

Leon needed him, this Reggie knew for a fact. Though Leon was certainly more bold than Reggie, it didn't change the fact that Leon needed to be protected. Now, Reggie was capable of protecting someone. Unlike before, when they'd all been helpless before Mr. Goti and had survived each day as best as they could. Survival. It was such a stark word. But they had survived. Survived to live and try to forget what had been done to them. But they hadn't forgotten. Since Leon had gotten to the Enterprise, he'd spent a good deal of time with Reggie and neither of them had spoken about Mr. Goti but for the brief mention of Leon still being on the medication. It wasn't just the drugs that had affected them both. There had been other...crimes.

Images of Deirdre, bleeding and crying in pain, filled his mind before Reggie shook his head to chase away the memories. They were replaced by memories of other things. The cold, sterile classrooms. Machines that input data instead of teachers. The endless cleaning. Enforced silence.

'I can't do much, but I can make sure Leon doesn't get hurt. If it's the only good thing I ever do, I'll protect Leon.'

When his shift ended, Reggie went straight to Count D's quarters. The doors of Count D's quarters opened before Reggie even touched the controls that alerted the occupant that there was a visitor. Count D was there smiling at him with his hands folded before him and dressed as elaborately as he had been before. How strange. It must be that Count D was getting ready to leave and they just happened to be at the door at the same time. "Greetings. Mr. Barclay, if I remember correctly."

"Er, yes." Reggie smiled as confidently as he could, but he was afraid it didn't turn out well. Leon was the only person Reggie ever felt really comfortable around and he could already feel himself starting to sweat under Count D's intense eyes. Talking was just so hard. "I'm a friend...a friend of Leon's and..."

"Yes." Count D stepped aside and bowed. "Please, come in. I have been expecting you."

"You have?"

"Yes. Leon has told me much about you." He smiled and Reggie wasn't sure what to make of that smile. Still, he accepted the invitation and walked in.

The room was very ordinary, if a bit sparse. Actually, it seemed completely empty. Still, a lot of people liked simplicity in their lives. The Count gave another elegant little bow when Reggie was in and Reggie bowed awkwardly back. He wasn't used to such formality, especially not directed at him. "Ummm...what did Leon say about me?" Reggie couldn't help but think it odd that Leon would mention him at all. If he was so enamored by Count D, as Reggie suspected, then Leon should have been talking about himself.

"Only kind things, I assure you." The Count made a sweeping gesture with one pale hand towards the white couch, uniform with every other couch on the Enterprise unless one specifically ordered a different one. "Please, be seated. I am afraid I have nothing but water to serve you." He seemed very embarrassed by that. When the Count stood up he fixed his hard eyes on Reggie, as if judging him, for a moment. The moment passed so quickly that Reggie thought he must have imagined it when the Count turned away and went to the kitchen.

Reggie watched the Count, curiously. It wasn't a mystery why Leon was so attracted to the man. He was, for lack of a better word, exquisite. His clothes, his skin, his hair, everything about him was perfect. He even walked elegantly. His voice was smooth as silk and his eyes were haunting. Even his mismatched eyes were not so much an imperfection as they were an exotic trait. Anyone with eyes would have fallen in love with the Count. When the Count had gone around the corner to the kitchen, the first thing Reggie did was to go to the closet just in side of the door. This was what Leon had been so concerned about.

When he reached for the closet door, Reggie froze, his hand inches from the door. It was silly. This was just an ordinary close. Leon wasn't even worried about it anymore. Then why was Reggie's hand shaking? Why did he suddenly feel so frightened? He sucked in a deep breath and steeled himself. This was for Leon.

The closet was empty, but for a tattered brown suitcase sitting on the floor. Reggie bit back a laugh at his own expense. How foolish. He'd actually expected to find something? Of course the closet was empty. Well, empty except for an antique suitcase. Reggie closed the closet door and went to sit on the couch before the Count returned with the glasses of water on an elegant silver tray. He didn't want the Count to think he was odd, after all.

After only a few minutes, Reggie felt all his uneasiness vanish. Contrary to what Reggie had thought, the Count turned out to be very easy to talk to and he had known, without being asked, why Reggie had stopped for a visit. The Count laughed lightly and knew all the right things to relieve Reggie's anxiety.

"So, you know Leon has a crush on you?" Reggie said, after he and the Count had spoken about Leon quite a bit. Reggie had been very careful not to let slip any secrets about Leon's past, but he did let the Count know he was a very close friend of Leon's and that they were practically brothers.

The Count looked modestly down at his nearly empty tea cup. "Ah, yes. He was quite...friendly when last I saw him."

Reggie smiled. "I'm glad." It was the truth. He'd worried about this more than once when Leon was growing up, but never had any idea how he could help his younger friend. Love was hard enough, but added all the pain and screwed up problems of the childhood they'd both suffered, it seemed that trusting anyone enough to love them was nearly impossible. "I was afraid for him."

"I will care for Leon." The Count lifted the cup, but stopped before he actually drank from it. "I feel as if I have waited for him my whole life."

It was such a romantic thing to say and Reggie was envious. "How do you know that? You only met him yesterday, right? How can you be so sure that he's the 'one'."

The Count was quite and drank the last of his water, setting his cup down on the coffee table with a soft 'clink'. "Logic has little to do with it, if that is what you are asking. I simply know. Perhaps we met in another life."

Reggie smiled at that. "Maybe. Forgive me for interrupting your evening, Count D." Reggie moved to stand, but the Count held out a hand to stop him.

"There is nothing to forgive. Leon speaks highly of you and I am grateful that he has had someone like you to care for him in his life. Without you, I think he may not have lived this long. Leon speaks of you with great admiration and respect. I think I would like to give you a gift."

"Oh, no. Please, you don't have to." Reggie spluttered. A gift? Just for taking care of someone he cared about?

"Yes, I think I do have to. Without you, I would not have found him and that would have pained me deeply. Please, accept this gift. She is a glorious creature and one, I am sure, that will be to your liking." He didn't allow Reggie to argue any further and quickly went into one of the other rooms.

Reggie sat, defeated. It felt wrong to take something for such a strange reason. He didn't want to be rewarded for taking care of Leon and he didn't even do all that much. Had he stopped them from making Leon take the meds? Had he pushed Leon enough to make him stop after they reunited on the Enterprise? He'd never even been able to give Leon any decent advice about anything. So, really... "She?" Reggie realized what the Count had said with a start.

There was no 'she' when Count D returned to Reggie, but a small information disk in his hand. It was exactly like hundreds of disks Reggie had seen, the standard that was used in the Federation. The Count held it in both hands, carefully as if he were holding a baby. "She is fragile and too curious to stay with me, I am afraid. There is not enough room for her to explore here." He looked at Reggie, as intense as he had when they'd first met and when Reggie had appeared at the Count's door. Again, Reggie felt as if he were being judged and he couldn't help but feel how important it was that he passed inspection. "When I sell pets, I have contracts. Three rules that must be obeyed at all times. These rules help both owner and pet to get along as well as keep the pet healthy. This one requires little and is able to take care of herself. I think I have but one rule, and there is no contract. She is a gift, after all. Not a sale."

"What rule?" Reggie asked, before extending his hand for the little disk.

"Let no one know about her." His voice was oddly intent. "For your well-being, as well as hers."

It sounded like a silly rule. Who would want to see a computer program pet, as this obviously was. Reggie nodded. "Sure."

"I think you will suit each other well." The Count leaned over and pressed the disk into Reggie's hand.

"Thank you." Reggie said, unsure of what else to say. He didn't want to be rude, it just wouldn't do to alienate Leon's first love interest. When he made to leave, Reggie was sure to smile and he bowed, more easily this time. All in all, Reggie liked the Count, as far as he knew the man. Polite, genteel, and considerate. He was a little weird, but that wasn't really a problem. Normal people were boring, anyway. Just the sort of person who would be perfect for Leon.

Reggie noticed that he was using the word 'perfect' a lot to describe Count D.

"Oh, Mr. Barclay."

"Yes?" Reggie paused just at the door.

"Her name is Mellow."

Count D-

He watched the man leave, but did not smile. Almost immediately, when the door had closed behind Mr. Barclay, D spoke. "You are sure?"

"This must be." The speaker now sat on the couch Mr. Barclay had only recently vacated. She was just as he remembered. Glorious and powerful, her mere presence was enough to get even a Kami's attention. The phoenix was still very active in Leon's life, though she had yet to reveal herself to him and D doubted she ever would. "He is tainted."

"You could have prevented it in the first place." D couldn't help his slight anger at that. One of the most powerful creatures who had ever lived and she just watched while Leon's body was deliberately poisoned. She easily could have prevented it.

The phoenix shifted her eyes of fire to look at D. "Perhaps. That is not what I promised to do, though. You knew Leon better than anyone else alive. Do you believe he would want to be protected from life, no matter how it turned out?"

Leon had always hated to be protected. That was true enough. This was an entirely different situation, though. He had been a child, confused and helpless, according to the phoenix, herself. He didn't have weapons to protect himself, so he'd fallen prey to a stronger human. "Those foreign chemicals are destroying his body." That was the worst part of it. D could practically see Leon dying before his eyes...again.

"Then those chemicals will have to be removed from his body." The phoenix said, coolly. "He can not survive with them polluting his system and I have grown fond of him. Do what you must to relieve him of them." It was almost an order.

D could see the danger of taking the chemicals out of Leon's body. The shock of the sudden loss of the chemicals could kill Leon. Not taking the chemicals out of Leon immediately would kill him. A slow withdrawal of the poisonous substance could take too long and Leon could die before the process was complete. Despite his joy at finding Leon again, D could see reality all too clearly. He wasn't able to blind himself or fool himself to what he saw in Leon. The slow decay, the too swift march towards death.

D sighed. He didn't need to be told what to do about Leon. He'd already done it. He did what needed to be done when he gave Mellow to Mr. Barclay. Though D was grateful to have had Leon so cared for in his absence, Mellow had another purpose other than to amuse Mr. Barclay. She would serve two purposes while she was with Mr. Barclay. To keep Leon away from those noxious chemicals and to keep him away from the coming attack. The instructions he'd given Mellow could easily mean Leon's death. Worse, it could mean that Leon would die on an alien planet where neither D nor the phoenix would be able to reach him.

'It is the only way.' D tried to tell himself. 'If we had done this while he was on the ship, someone could have helped him and he would have gotten access to the chemicals, again. If he had only known about Leon's dependency on the poison when they were still at Earth, D might have been able to do something more. He could have used his power or begged for the power of his sofu. On Earth, his power was virtually limitless, but here in the Void, he was powerless outside the transplanted petshop. D didn't even know if Leon would survive the short journey back to Earth, if he could somehow manage that. Leon's heart was weakening with every day that passed.

There was no guarantee of anything, let alone that Leon would survive what D was about to put him through. 'I must be a monster. He will suffer so much. There is no other way. I will not allow him to continue killing himself.'

"You had best go back with Mr. Barclay. He'll worry about Leon's beloved crow."

"Yes, Count." She stood and transformed herself into a crow before flying out the door Mr. Barclay had just left.

Reggie-

When Reggie got back to his quarters, the first thing he did was to check out what Count D had given him. He sat at his desk and didn't notice Jill fly in just behind him and silently glide into another room. Curiosity wasn't usually one of his bigger failings, but he couldn't imagine what Count D could thank him with.

The moment he loaded the disk into his computer, the screen was filled with static and Reggie worried that the disk had infected his computer with something.

-Hello.-

The voice was soft and sweet and coming from his computer. Reggie tapped one the controls, trying to get an image or text or anything, for that matter. The static seemed to shift before his eyes, attempting to collect itself into an image.

-Hello? Are you Reggie Barclay?-

Reggie blinked, surprised. "Yes. Who are you? Mellow?"

The static shifted again, this time more wildly with flashes of light swirling around until a picture emerged. It was strange, Reggie had never seen a program quite like this one. -Yes. The Count said you would be my friend.- The static eased into a steady rhythm of motion and a shape in the center of the screen turned into a very distinctive fish.

It was beautiful, Reggie thought. He'd always had a soft spot for animals, but he never seemed to have time to take care of one. The fish, an amazing computer program, was perfect! "I'll be your friend if you like, Mellow." He just had to figure out how she operated and then what the purpose of the program was, other than just a talking fish. Maybe that was all it was mean to be. It was created to respond to simple phrases, like a small scale of the Enterprise's computers.

The lovely fish swam in the water, seeming to study Reggie. -You are not like Jodie. Count D said you were kind, like Jody. Are you kind?-

"I like to think so. Who's Jody?" Maybe this was part of the game. To play along with what Mellow wanted to talk about.

-He was my friend. I loved him.-

Reggie didn't smile. There was such pain in the voice of the fish that he hesitated. It sounded very real. "Did something happen to him?"

-Yes. Forgive me, Reggie Barclay. There is a task I must see to. I will return in a moment." The fish swam off the screen and Reggie shook his head. This was the strangest program he'd ever seen. Obviously a game of some kind, but whoever had programmed it had done an amazing job on Mellow's 'emotions', so to speak. Of course it wasn't real, Reggie should slap himself for thinking such a thing. Even Data, the most advanced piece of technology in the entire Federation, didn't have emotions. Why should a simple fish have them?

Mellow returned, her mood seeming a bit better. -That is done. We can talk now, if you like.-

"What's done?" Reggie asked curiously as he wondered what he was supposed to talk to a computer generated fish about.

-You would be angry if I told you, so I will not tell you. Please, do not worry. It is for the best.-

Planet: Actura IV-  
Leon-

The planet was pretty nearly desolate and Leon couldn't imagine why anyone would want to live here. The colonists must have seen something good in the rocky landscape and the thin, brittle trees that Leon couldn't. There wasn't any water for miles around, yet they'd chosen to settle here. The heat was nearly unbearable, humid and suffocating. Leon felt like he couldn't breathe while he made his patrol around the eerily quiet colony.

Leon ran a hand through his hair, still mystified. It was about the ugliest, most depressing place he could imagine. Even the sky was ugly, a strange shade of orange that just looked sick. Leon couldn't think of any other word to describe it but Sick. Everything about the whole planet looked unhealthy. Even the buildings that the colonists had set up didn't look quite right. They were filthy, probably from sandstorms or something, but no one had been able to clean them. Not with the plague that had taken hold so suddenly.

Everyone was near the middle of the colony, a small town of modest buildings where the victims had all been gathered to where the Enterprise's medical staff could tend to them. From what Leon had been told, it was a rather easy cure, the problem as the amount of people who had to be given the cure and then tended until they recovered. That was what would taking so long.

Time passed slowly and Leon had lots of time to think. He, along with the other security people had little to do. Everyone who might cause trouble was sick and they spent their time alternately keeping an eye on things for Doctor Crusher and walking the pitiful excuse for streets.

Mainly, Leon thought about D.

The taste of D's warm lips still lingered on Leon's and he was sure that it wasn't just his imagination playing tricks on him. D tasted like something Leon thought he should recognize, but just couldn't remember. Spicy and exotic...D tasted like something from a dream. Their first kiss had only been a slight brushing of lips and Leon was almost afraid of what would happen if it became something more. Yes, he'd definitely have to have a long talk with D as soon as he got back to the Enterprise.

D had been so sure when he told Leon about all that past life stuff, but Leon still wasn't sure what he should believe. Starfleet had taught him to rely on logic and science, but D had known so much about Leon's dreams. Leon very clearly remembered dreaming about a man as a child. He knew, without a doubt that he'd never seen the man's face, but he did know that the man was D. He had dreamed of Chris, clear as day. He had dreamed of a woman named Jill, obviously the woman he named his crow after. So many things fit together.

It was all too confusing and Leon didn't think he was up to the task of finding out answers. All he knew, for certain, was that he felt very right when he was with D. Maybe that was all that mattered.

So time passed and Leon saw almost no one all the time he was there. He was posted on the outskirts of the colony, so far from the real action that he had no idea anything was wrong until Lieutenant Worf contacted him on the com badge. -Ensign Barns. Report to base.-

"Yes, sir." Leon replied automatically and happily. Base meant to go back to where everyone was supposed to meet once the mission was over and it was time to go back to the Enterprise. They'd been on the planet for seven and a half hours, a bit longer than Leon had expected. It was miserable standing out in the torturous sun and Leon was incredibly happy at the idea of going back to the ship. Not only would it be much cooler there, but he get something to eat and he'd go see D.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way for Leon. As soon as he got back to the base he knew something was wrong by the hushed conversation between the officers present. It wasn't his place to question, so Leon kept his mouth shut, and waited to be told what was going on. A long buried part of Leon told him he should be demanded answers, but he ignored that part of himself. It was just another sign that he had to get back to the Enterprise as soon as possible. The affects of the meds were wearing off sooner than he'd thought they would.

Once commander Riker saw that Leon had arrived, he raised his voice to address everyone. "Now that we're all here, I need to tell you we'll be here a few extra hours. Something's gone wrong with the transporter systems on the Enterprise and we've no way to get back until they're fixed."

Leon went cold all over and then felt a warmth creep up the back of his neck, unpleasantly. A few hours? That was too long.

"I'm told it's nothing to worry about." Commander Riker went on. "It's just a slight delay. We'll just stay here till it's fixed. The captain offered to send shuttlecrafts for us, but I really didn't think it was worth the trouble. For now, everyone back to your posts and continue your work. We'll keep you informed." Commander Riker watched all the security personnel head back to whatever area it was that they'd been assigned to patrol, all but one. "Ensign Barns, is there a problem?"

Leon was jerked out of his own black thoughts by the sound of his name and looked at commander Riker as if he'd never seen him before. Leon floundered, speechless. What could he say? Nothing. "No, sir." Leon turned on his heel and started walking as fast as he could away from the commander. He knew he was starting to panic, but couldn't seem to stop himself.

'This is ridiculous! The transporters NEVER malfunction! Why today? Why today of all damned days?!' Reggie had been right. Stupid to try and act like nothing was wrong with him. Stupid to try and have a life. Should have just turned himself in when Mr. Goti had gotten caught. 'What am I supposed to do now?' It had been a very long time since Leon had felt so helpless.

"Wait a minute." Commander Riker called out. "Since you're here, take a break. You've been out there a long time and I don't think you'll really be missed." He was trying to be kind, but it made Leon worry all the more. He didn't want anyone see him start to break down. "Try to get some sleep. It'll be dark soon."

Leon swallowed hard, though. "Yes, sir." He smiled as naturally as he could and went into the colony's large office. It was like a town hall where all the colony's business was conducted, so there was plenty of room for the Enterprise's crew to hang around while they rested. In the office there were several doctors and nurses, resting from their own long day's work, and a couple of other security officers.

It was a fairly spacious place and Leon was able to find a corner where he could at least pretend he was alone. He sat on the floor under an open window, though there were plenty of chairs around. His stomach was starting to hurt, but he didn't know if it was the stress or symptoms of what was to come. In all honestly, he remembered very little from the few times Mr. Goti had taken him off the meds. He remembered being afraid and pain. He remembered crying and banging his fists against the unmoving door, begging to be released. He remembered the first night they'd come for him and Reggie had tried to keep them away.

Flashback-

"Leave him alone!" He heard Reggie's furious voice first and knew that Reggie was on one of his medicines again, one of the ones that made him angry all the time. "He's just a fucking kid!"

There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh and an angry grunt. "Keep out of it, Reg. This isn't your business. You knew it was going to happen sooner or later."

Leon didn't recognize the second voice and it frightened him. It was night and no one ever came into their room at night. When Leon opened his eyes he saw Reggie being held by two large men in the pale blue nurse's uniforms. One held his arms tightly while the other was behind Reggie with one arm wrapped around Reggie's throat and the other on top of Reggie's head in a sort of head-lock. They'd effectively pinned Reggie, all but his flailing legs. His eyes were wide and filled with hate as he struggled. A roar broke from his mouth and the man holding Reggie's throat seemed to have had enough.

"Let go, Stan." He ordered. When the man holding Reggie's arms let go and stepped away, the one holding Reggie's throat suddenly jerked him to the side and bashed Reggie's head into the wall. Reggie went very still before he crumpled and his whole body went limp. The man dropped Reggie and let him fall to the floor in a heap.

"Reggie!" Leon cried, sitting bolt upright only to have a hand clamp over his shoulder.

"He'll be find. The kid's tougher than he looks." There was a third nurse at Leon's side who didn't bother with any kind of facial expression. "Come on." His fingers tightened and he pulled, wrenching Leon out of the bed so hard that he fell. At least he would have fallen but for the man's hand on his shoulder. The man hadn't let go and held Leon like a vice. "You've been called."

"Lemme go! Reggie!" Leon was terrified. It was so dark, he couldn't see the faces of the men who'd invaded their room and hurt Reggie. "Reggie!" Why wasn't Reggie moving?

"Enough of that." The man gave Leon another sharp pull, this time pulling him towards the still open doorway.

They gave Leon no choice and dragged him though the corridors of Mr. Goti's Home with tears running down his face. He hated being afraid and the man was hurting his arm. He didn't do anything bad! All the while Leon saw people peeking out of the doors of their rooms, small, frightened eyes watching him. Not a single person tried to help him.

He was thrown into a room and the heavy door closed with a hiss of air. Then, Leon was alone.

End Flashback-

Leon shuddered at the memory. Probably, if he told anyone, they wouldn't understand. He hadn't been beaten or raped or anything like that, but the pain he'd suffered that night was more torture than Leon ever wanted to go through again. Of course, he had gone through it again. Once every other month, so Mr. Goti could see the effects of withdrawal as Leon was denied the medication he'd been forced to take.

When they'd let him back to his room, after recovering, Leon found Reggie with a scar on the side of his head and a hug for Leon. They hadn't spoken about it much after that, but Leon noticed he wasn't the only one. Every so often he'd hear see another child being led to the room he'd been locked in. Every couple of weeks, Reggie was taken there and he always came back worse for wear.

Leon tried his best to look at ease, but didn't think he was doing very well. He was in trouble and he knew it. He didn't know how much trouble until Doctor Crusher walked in the room and Leon saw the faded image of another woman superimposed over her. The woman wasn't young, but she wasn't yet old, either. Her face had a few wrinkles, but her hair was still bright yellow and her smile was full of life. She was saying something, but Leon couldn't hear her. He turned away from everyone and leaned against the wall. All he had to do was last another couple of hours. The meds were suppose to be good for ten hours at the dose he took them, so that was another two and a half hours. Plenty of time for them to find whatever was wrong with the transporters. Right?

'Who are you joking?'

Leon looked into a window near him and saw, as he'd seen just a short time ago on the Enterprise, a reflection of himself. His reflection was still angry at him.

'We're going to die here and if we don't, we'll wish we had. Damn it! Why didn't you listen to Reggie!? What about D? Huh? Chris is waiting for us, too. You stupid shit.' Leon's reflection turned away from him in disgust and Leon buried his face in his arms, now crossed over his bent knees. He didn't bother arguing. His reflection was right.

Enterprise-  
Count D-

Count D had taken refuge in his bed chambers and refused to see anyone, even his beloved pets. Instead, he lay on his bed, curled in as tight a ball as he could force himself into. He knew Leon was in pain. It was his fault. There was nothing he could do to help until Leon returned to the Enterprise. If he returned.

To be continued... 


	12. Slow Decay

How Long Love Chapter 12: Slow Decay

Actura IV-  
Leon-

The waiting was terrible. Of course the others didn't care. Most all of the colonists were well on their way to recovery only hours after Doctor Crushers treatment and life was returning to normal for all but the Enterprise's crew. The sun, dirty though the dusty atmosphere, was starting to set, but that didn't help the filthy look of the planet. In fact, the only good it did was that the darkness hid the ugly colony.

Leon heard everyone talking around him, more people coming in as their jobs ended and all they had to do was rest until it was time to go home. He watched them smiling and laughing together, a simple mission gone smoothly was always something to celebrate.

All this time Leon kept to himself. It had gone passed the point of paranoia, Leon was sure. If it was just paranoia, then he wouldn't be sitting next to himself. His other self had seen fit to leave the window where Leon had seen him a short while ago and was now sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and glaring at Leon. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't always angry with himself.

'Maybe if I sit here quietly enough no one will notice I'm going mad. It can't be that obvious and counselor Troi isn't here so she wouldn't notice. Yeah, just don't talk, don't look at anyone and they'll never guess.'

'Idiot.' Leon's reflection shook his head, going from angry to exasperated. It was a pretty good change, all things considered. At least he wasn't swearing anymore. 'Idiot, idiot, idiot.' At least no one else could see Leon's angry reflection.

'Can't you think of anything else to say?'

'Yer mamma dresses ya funny.'

'Oh, shut up.'

'Don't blame me. I'm just telling it like it is. Well?'

'Well what?'

The reflection rolled his eyes. 'Well, what are you planning to do now? Wishful thinking only gets you so far and it won't get you to D or Chris.'

Leon swallowed hard and looked back at his fellow crewmembers. No one was really paying him any attention, but they didn't notice the street that was running right through the middle of the room. They didn't even notice that the ceiling had vanished and they all now had a very clear view of the night sky. Not the murky, ash colored sky of Actura IV, but the smog filled sky of Los Angelos. He couldn't see any stars, but he knew they were there. The only visible thing in the sky was the moon. How could they not notice it? Oh, yeah. It was a dream and they couldn't see Leon's dreams.

"Haven't had any dreams in a long time." It was kind of nice. He should be scared. He knew he was going to start hurting soon. It didn't seem bad, though. Leon's eyes followed the road that went through the room and out into the colony. He raised his fingers to his lips and felt a cigarette he didn't have touch his lips. He inhaled and imagined he felt the nicotine infected smoke fill his lungs. The reflection of himself was forgotten, but for that he saw himself shake his head sadly before he looked out the window again. There was movement on the street only he could see. A small figure gracefully making his way down the street.

"Ensign, are you alright?"

'Why the Hell is he lurking around Park Avenue at this time of night?' Leon wondered, almost not hearing the other voice at his side. It didn't matter. He had to keep an eye on D.

"Ensign!" Leon was dragged out of his dream when a hand touched his shoulder and he turned to see Doctor Crusher looking up at him with a puzzled look on her face. "Are you alright?" She was even speaking slowly, like he was dim-wit. "You've been talking to yourself."

"Yeah? What did I say?"

"I'm not sure. You were mumbling something about a museum and bribes." She was very pretty, Leon thought. A bit skinny, but pretty all the same. She seemed kind, but firm and reminded Leon of someone he'd loved long ago. Someone who had died and her passing had hurt Leon deeply. "Here, let me..." She activated her tricorder and passed it in front of Leon, her concerned look growing deeper as she read the results. "Why don't you take a..." Her mouth was still moving, but Leon couldn't hear her voice. He heard another voice. "It's time to wake up, dear. You certainly are a lot bigger than the last time I saw you. I would have hoped you'd have grown up a bit, as well!"

Leon didn't reply. It was all part of the dream, but he did look away from her. Doctor Crusher's face was overlapped by the face of the only woman Leon had ever loved. There was the faint shadow of wavy blonde hair tied into a loose ponytail and a soft, knowing smile that only a mother could have. He'd seen her earlier, when he'd looked at Doctor Crusher. It was just another dream. Or was Doctor Crusher a dream? It was getting hard to tell.

Leon blinked and tried to clear his vision. This was probably the worst situation he could have gotten into, besides meeting counselor Troi while involved in a waking dream. "What did you just say?"

"I said I think you should rest a while." She touched his arm, but Leon jerked it away.

"I'm okay. I was resting." He looked again for D, but both he and the road were gone. There was nothing but reality, now. At least, Leon thought it was reality. Maybe this was all part of the dream, too. "I need some air. Where are we?"

Worf-

Lieutenant Worf disliked it when things went wrong on missions, especially things he couldn't control. The rescue mission had been going quite well until a couple of hours ago when they'd been told that there was something wrong with the transporters and no one knew what. It wasn't a mechanical failure, Geordi had been sure, so they just thought it was probably a power failure somewhere along the lines. Worf wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but it was irritating Geordi to no end. It meant, Geordi had told him, that they were going to have to search through the whole system of the Enterprise just to find it and that would take hours.

Frankly, Worf was pretty sure it was it was something to do with the kitsune. There had been nothing but trouble since that thing had come onto the ship.

'The captain had to sent me away when we have a dangerous, possibly hostile, alien running loose. Since it vanished into the interior of the Enterprise, there hadn't been a single sighting of it. Of course, it hasn't been long, just a night and a few hours, but still...someone should have seen it at least once.' Of course it was an alien. Whatever rubbish Data had stored inside his brain, Worf knew better than to think of the creature as some kind of imaginary spirit. Perhaps Q had made it look like a mythical animal, but it was real and therefore an alien.

All in all, Worf would have much rather been on the Enterprise taking care of his ship and his captain. That was his first responsibility. Instead, he was stuck uselessly in this little colony to which he had no responsibility. To top it all off, all the people they'd come to help were nearly fully healed and now Worf's security people had nothing to do. At least doctor Crusher's medical team were busy cleaning up their mess and keeping an eye on the last of their patients.

As time went on Worf's temper grew shorter and shorter and the only person who didn't seem to notice was the young ensign who was staring out a window at the darkening colony. He hadn't reacted at all when Worf began yelling at several of the other ensigns who'd come on board at the same time. Barns.

Worf didn't start worrying about his ensign until he saw doctor Crusher approach the young man slowly. That only irritated Worf more. Doctor Crusher was a senior officer and she shouldn't have to be concerned with the security detail that was supposed to be protecting her and her staff. Worf knew for a fact that all his people were healthy. With a scowl, Worf made his way over to them and heard doctor Crusher answer something the ensign had asked.

"We are on Actura IV." Doctor Crusher answered. She exchanged a look with Worf that told him clearly she'd noted the ensign's strange behavior and that she would take care of it. That settled Worf's worry a bit and he stopped just far enough away that he could hear what was going on without interfering. She was most capable. "Leon," Doctor Crusher said, moving closer to him and looking carefully at his face. "Do you remember where we are?"

For a short while, ensign Barns looked very serious, staring intently at Doctor Crusher. Then, without warning, he smiled brightly and put a hand to his mouth, a bit sheepishly. "Huh? I guess you can get hungry in a dream."

Doctor Crusher frowned and reached out to put a hand on ensign Barns' forehead even as she pulled out her tricorder and began a scan of him. "You aren't dreaming, ensign. Are you hungry?"

"Hey, this thing may look like a turd, but it's actually kinda good." Ensign Barns raised his hand towards his mouth, his hand cupped as if he were holding a rock or a ball.

"Leon!" Doctor Crusher snapped, giving his arm a little shake. "Can you hear me? Wake up!"

Ensign Barns blinked and his eyes focused on her. "Oh."

"Are you feeling quite all right?" Doctor Crusher asked, yet again raising her tricorder to scan him.

Ensign Barns batted the tricorder away. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. It's just a dream. There's nothing to worry about." Even to Worf, ensign Barns looked pale and his fingers were trembling. There was obviously something to worry about. Humans were stupidly stubborn about such things and Worf wondered if he should incapacitate the young man before he could do himself or anyone else damage. That would have been the sensible thing to do, but he supposed he should leave that decision to doctor Crusher.

Doctor Crusher didn't look at all appeased by ensign Barns' answer and scowled at him. "Waking dreams are not something to be ignored. You could be very sick. Just lay back and..."

"I wish I knew what was going on." Ensign Barnes lay back as Doctor Crusher encouraged him to do, but kept on talking. "I never know what's happening and damned if he'd tell me." He sounded frustrated, but not really angry.

"He who?" Doctor Crusher asked with the air of someone who was just trying to keep her patient calm while she examined him.

"Him." Ensign Barns raised his hand and pointed out the door. There was nothing there but blackness and the dirty colony. "He won't even look at me and just keeps talking about...about...what was it? We were in the forest and he was talking about dead animals. That celvalkes was fuckin' huge 'n it was only a baby." Ensign Barns chuckled. "You shoulda seen its mama. Damned thing musta been about ten feet tall. D said they were extinct. And the cat. I shot that goddamed cat with the teeth. Saber-toothed something, I think its called. It was gonna eat D. D was some pissed off when I shot the bugger." His eyes grew misty. "Two kittens. I didn't know she had kittens."

Doctor Crusher's eyes narrowed, thoughtfully and she made to take yet another reading of ensign Barns, but he brushed her away, again. "Can't you leave me alone?" He muttered under his breath.

"No." At once she because very stiff and professional. "You are not well, ensign. Sit down." From out of those marvelously huge pockets, doctor Crusher pulled a hypospray, no doubt loaded with some kind of tranquilizer, and moved to press it against ensign Barns' throat.

Ensign Barns didn't take it well and pushed her hand away from him with a scowl. "Leave me alone. I've had enough of those damned things. Useless, anyway. Won't make any difference now. Not that stuff."

Worf was not pleased by the behavior of ensign Barns. He was under Worf's command and that meant, to Worf, that ensign Barns belonged to him. It meant that he was responsible for what ensign Barns did and right now the young ensign wasn't making him look very good in front of doctor Crusher. He sounded like he was losing his mind, which was bad enough. What made Worf see red was when ensign Barns thoughtlessly batted doctor Crusher's hand away, not once, but three times!

He'd hit a superior officer and there was no excuse for that. Worf inhaled deeply though his nose and tried to keep himself calm. Sick or not, ensign Barns knew better and Worf would see him disciplined for his transgression later. It was lucky for ensign Barns that doctor Crusher was such a compassionate person. Worf knew he wouldn't have acted so kindly as she did. Instead of being insulted by the rude, if not exactly aggressive, slap of his hand, doctor Crusher frowned at ensign Barns.

"You are sick."

"Bla, bla, bla. And I smoke to much, too. That's what he always says." Ensign Barns started shaking and wrapped his arms around himself as he slumped back down to the floor and lay his head sideways on his knees. "My head hurts. I need some fresh air."

"You need to rest." She fixed him with a steely glare. "I'll give you something for your head."

"Don't want it. If I can't have the stuff I don't want yours." He had the vague look of someone pouting and turned away from doctor Crusher.

"What stuff?"

"It's a secret. I'm not supposed to tell."

Doctor Crusher put her fists on her hips and pulled out her last threat. "Look, if you don't let me do my job, I'm going to have to ask Lieutenant Worf to suspend you from duty. Do you want that?"

"Like it matters?" He fell silent.

Doctor Crusher threw her hands up in defeat. "Lieutenant?"

Worf was more than happy to do his duty. He stripped ensign Barns of his phasor and informed him, "You are relieved of duty until we reach the Enterprise and you submit yourself for medical treatment, ensign."

"Oh, fuck off."

Worf looked at Barns sharply and hissed though his teeth. He thought he'd explode, but for the presence of a superior officer. He had been spoken to like that in the past, but in the past, he'd always been able to discipline the offender. Ensign Barns was definitely going to get disciplined as soon as doctor Crusher pronounced him well. Oh, yeah. A run covering all decks of the Enterprise might teach him a little respect. Or something demeaning, like making him scrub the gym from floor to ceiling, including the locker room.

Before Worf could say anything, doctor Crusher took his large arm and pulled him a little bit away. "He's refused treatment and since I don't know for a fact that he's incapable of making his own decisions, I can't do a thing. There's something wrong with him, but it's not showing up on my tricorder. I need to get him to the Enterprise." She cast a worried look at the ensign over her shoulder. "I think it's something Deanna has to deal with. For now, he's off duty, all right? I wouldn't trust him with a weapon."

"Agreed." Worf was still fuming from the ensign's foul mouth and wondered how long he would have to lose one of his men. A pity. He'd shown a great deal of promise when Worf had tested all the new recruits and his records from the Academy were impeccable. "The transporter should be fixed very soon, perhaps in the next half hour. Until then, I'll assign someone to keep an eye on him and...damn it!" Worf snarled when he happened to look back at where they'd left ensign Barns.

Ensign Barns was gone and the window was open.

Worf rushed to the window and looked out, but the few dark streets were empty. There wasn't a trace of the missing ensign. Beside Worf, doctor Crusher paled. "We have to find him. I don't know what he'll do in his state. He doesn't even seem to know what's going on around him."

Worf wasted no more time. He marched away from doctor Crusher and, as he passed them, seized two of his security officers by the shoulders and pulled them along after him. "We have a man missing. Ensign Leon Barns. Missing for barely a minute. Find him!"

Doctor Crusher-

When Worf stormed out of the building they'd taken shelter in, hauling two confused security officers with him, Beverly swallowed hard and looked down at the few readings her tricorder had given her before the ensign's disappearance and she was worried about what she saw.

Ensign Barns did not have a fever. In fact, his temperature was starting to fall. There were a great number of chemicals in his bloodstream, but nothing that looked really dangerous. Most disturbingly, his brain waves seemed a bit off. 'It's not likely that there's anything in the air. No one else seems to be acting oddly. Can't be the plague, he hasn't had any of the symptoms.' Still, she decided she'd keep a closer eye on everyone. Maybe he's more sensitive to something in the air. A natural chemical that we didn't know about. 'Like an allergy or something.' She tapped a few controls on her tricorder and started chewing on the inside of her cheek at what she found out. 'His brainwaves are very erratic.' They would go insanely weird and then settle into a normal wave pattern. It seemed to happen erratically.

She decided then and there that ensign Barns was NOT capable of making his own medical decisions. If she'd just checked a few minutes earlier, she could have had Worf hold ensign Barns down while she gave him a tranquilizer and then started a through exam.

Enterprise-  
Reggie-

-You are worried?-

Reggie almost smiled at the computer's screen where the exotic looking fish swam lazily, her fins moved by the programmed current on her disk. He'd only had Mellow for a few hours, but Reggie found that he rather liked her. Her 'voice' was very gentle and he liked that best of all. "I can't talk now, Mellow. I have to finish this." Reggie was working in his quarters, having accessed the ship's computers from a terminal he kept just in case he needed it. Mellow, his gift from Count D, was on another computer screen, watching him with programmed patience. He rather liked Mellow. She was effortless to take care of and pleasant to talk to.

-You are worried.-

"Just a little." It was so much easier for him to work when no one was around and the privacy of his own quarters allowed Reggie to work without the anxiety that someone would come and peek over his shoulder when he wasn't paying attention. He had plenty of reason to be worried and that was why he was working so hard. in fact, most every engineer was working very hard to find the source of the transporter's malfunction.

-About Leon?-

The question was out of the blue and Reggie stopped his work to look across the room at Mellow's screen. "How do you know Leon?" More importantly, why would she think Leon was the one he was worried about? There was really no reason why the Count would put that sort of information into Mellow's program.

-We all know Leon. He is very special.- Mellow's voice seemed to become softer. -Leon was with the Count...that day.-

"What day? We who?"

-The day I learned that Jodi was gone. Leon came to find the one who took Jody from me.-

"Jodi?"

Mellow didn't say anything and she turned her back on Reggie, seeming to swim away, though she didn't entirely leave the computer screen If he didn't know better, he would have sworn she was sad. Impossible.

"I don't understand, Mellow. I've known Leon my whole life and he's never met Count D before. What you're saying is impossible." Reggie turned back to his work and noted the time on the computer with growing apprehension. Only a half an hour until the medication wore off and Leon would start to meltdown. At this point, Leon was probably starting to feel symptoms and, if he was unlucky, it had been noticed. 'First job he's had since he got here, the first day he's on duty and this has to happen!' So much for easing Leon off the medication.

It could work out in the end, though. Doctor Crusher must have noticed Leon's odd behavior, or she would very soon if they couldn't get the transporters working. She wouldn't let him out of sickbay until she knew what was wrong and then she would force Leon to go to rehab. This could all be a blessing in disguise. That is, if they could get him back to the Enterprise before anything really bad happened. Like Leon dying.

-They have met. A long time ago.-

"Leon told me he'd dreamed about Count D." Reggie said this more to himself than to Mellow. Nothing was making sense. Why would Count D program all this stuff about Leon into Mellow?

Mellow just watched him silently without replying.

"Please, I have to know what you know about Leon." How stupid. To be begging a computer program. He should just start dissecting her program and...her? He was calling a program her. If he took her apart, he'd be able to find out what information she held. "I can't let Leon be hurt again."

Reggie broke out in a cold sweat at that thought. It was all too possible that Leon would die before he was brought back to the Enterprise. If they couldn't fix the transporters, then there was no was that Leon could get to his medications in time.

Reggie had even thought about taking one of the shuttlecrafts down just so he'd have a chance to slip the medication to Leon, but it wouldn't have worked. There just wasn't enough time and he wouldn't be able to get a shuttlecraft because everyone KNEW that there wasn't a life or death emergency. The captain just wouldn't authorize it. Unless, of course, he admitted Leon's addiction to the captain and Reggie wasn't sure Leon would ever forgive him for that. On the other hand, if it kept Leon safe and healthy it would be worth the risk. Better that Leon was alive and hating him, than dead.  
'I could tell them. Leon's going to die without my help.' Reggie sat back and chewed on the knuckle of his right hand. 'They'll have noticed by now, anyway. What would it hurt?' He even knew where Leon kept his medications. Out of the corner of his eye, Reggie saw Jill's black form swoop out of the bedroom and land on the table just in front of Mellow's screen. He'd almost forgotten that he was bird sitting for Leon.

Jill squawked at the screen and, in response, Mellow moved back to the front of the screen. For a moment, Reggie forgot what he was doing and just watched them.

-Yes. I have done it.- Mellow said.

Jill bobbed her head and gave another loud squawk while she flapped her wings once.

-I will remember.-

Then Jill turned and fixed her shining black eyes on Reggie. It was such an intense stare that Reggie began to feel nervous, like it was a person watching him instead of an animal. Jill turned her head just slightly to the side then gave a little hop and took flight. She flew back to the bedroom again.

"Mellow?"

-Yes, Reggie?-

"Were just talking to a crow?" Even if she did have as an advanced program as Reggie thought she had, surely she hadn't been programmed to talk to animals. Perhaps her voice recognition was messed up and she thought she was talking to Reggie.

-No.-

"Okay." The answer didn't really make any sense. "Then, who were you talking to?"

-It is a secret.-

If there was anything that could lower Reggie's self-esteem more, he couldn't imagine it. Now computer programs were keeping secrets from him. "Mellow, I get the feeling that you know something you aren't telling me."

-Many things, Reggie. You remind me of Jodi. It hurts to look at you. You make my heart hurt.-

Reggie was surprised by the expression. "Your heart?"

-Yes. Right here,- Then the image began to shift and morph.

Reggie was so caught up in what was happening that he left his work station and slowly walked closer to Mellow's screen. He kept walking until he was right in front of it and he leaned over, putting both hands on the table top the screen was sitting on, just to get a closer look.

Mellow continued to change, the screen growing blurry and the static covering up nearly everything. Then it cleared and Reggie thought his heart would stop. Black curls and dark eyes... "Deirdre?" He breathed the name. Yes, it was Deirdre, she couldn't be anyone else. She was even dressed as he remembered her, in the dull, plain uniform supplied by Mr. Goti.

Mellow held a hand over the left side of her breast and smiled sadly at Reggie. -My heart is here. You look different, but you are so like my Jodi in many ways.-

"Change back." Reggie blinked tears from his eyes and he felt his chest contracting painfully. "Turn back to a fish." How could he bear to look at her when she looked like Deirdre, whom he had failed so pathetically?

-You did not kill her, Reggie. Her death was not your fault.-

"Please." He couldn't stand it. She even spoke with Deirdre's voice!

-If you wish. Forgive me for causing you discomfort.- She changed quickly back into the fish and Reggie let out a sigh of relief. It was too much. -I was under the impression that you would favor my appearance as that girl, Deirdre Addams. Forgive my assumption.-

"What the Hell are you?" Reggie asked, when his heart slowed a bit. "You know too much. How do you know her? No one knows Deirdre."

-I am Mellow. I know many things.- Mellow was silent for a moment. -I will not harm you, Reggie. Please, do not be afraid.-

It was meant to be comforting, but had the opposite affect and Reggie wondered what, exactly, Count D had given him. He was getting the impression that Mellow wasn't an ordinary computer program.

Reggie almost wished he hadn't asked her to change back. It was nice to see Deirdre again. He had no photo's of her, that sort of thing hadn't been allowed in Mr. Goti's Home. There were no visual records of any kind unless Mr. Goti took them himself and Reggie was pretty sure he didn't want any of those. Mr. Goti only kept pictures for his research, so they tended to be very unpleasant pictures.

Reggie stood up straight and walked a bit away from Mellow. He had to think clearly. Something wasn't adding up. "What were you talking about before, when the crow was out here?"

Mellow-

She couldn't tell him about her link into the system of the Enterprise. He was very smart, from what she'd seen him doing. By now, after he had inputted her into the computer of the Enterprise, she had wormed her way into every part of the main computer. It wasn't especially hard and Jodi had been so smart to give her the tools to do this sort of thing. Of course, computers were so different than they had been years ago when Jodi had created her, but the humans who had designed and built the computers were essentially the same as they'd always been. Humans didn't realize that they really were building the same computers they'd been making since the idea was first conceived, just making them a little fancier.

Mellow turned away at Reggie's last question, she didn't want to have to lie to him. It would be too much like lying to Jodi. If he knew what she was doing while he was trying to save his friend, then he would surely be angry and that would complicate the Count's plans. Her duty here was most important, at least for the next few minutes.

She watched as, behind Reggie's back, the phoenix/crow flew to the door and, as she'd agreed to moments before, Mellow made the door open and Jill flew out. Reggie swung around when he heard the door open, but he only saw the door closing and hadn't noticed Jill at all.

"What's going on?" Reggie demanded. He looked back to Mellow, his forehead creased with growing agitation.

The sensors in the room, conveniently they were actually all over the ship, told Mellow that Reggie's temperature was rising as was his heart rate. She'd made him uncomfortable by changing her image to that of Deirdre, something she'd done to please him. He was getting more and more flustered as time went on, but that was alright. Her main reason for being here was for the access it gave her to the Enterprise's computers, but also to keep an eye on Reggie. The Count was concerned with Reggie for Leon's sake. He had learned that Reggie was very close to Leon and that Leon depended on Reggie for emotional support. She was here for Reggie's sake, as much as anything.

"Mellow, tell me what's happening."

-Have you found the fault with the transporters?- It was an easy distraction, but one that Mellow knew would work.

As she predicted, Reggie rushed back to his other computer and began his work again. It was Mellow's fault. She kept moving the fault, far to fast for any of the crew to catch it and, of course, since she controlled the computers, she could foul them up that way, too.

"I'm not sure I shouldn't just give you back to the Count." Reggie said, his mind only half distracted. "Or report you to the captain."

-That would be a bad idea, Reggie. I told you, I will not hurt you.-

"That's what worries me."

-I can give you something, Reggie.- The Count had suggested this, but Mellow still wasn't sure that it was the right thing to do. -To prove I am not an enemy.-

"I doubt it. Logically speaking, anything you show me can be interrupted as a plea for my silence, if you are a kind of malicious virus or a spy program. Therefore, I know that you can't give me anything so important that...damn!" Reggie cursed, uncharacteristically when Mellow moved the fault away from him again. She made sure to keep it just out of his reach.

Mellow was impressed by his skill. None of the other engineers had come so close to catching her, not even the android, Data. Mellow knew everything the Enterprise computers had to offer about Reggie, and, therefore, everything the Federation and Starfleet computers knew about him. What she knew, she liked.

-I can give you Leon.-

Reggie looked up again, this time a look of almost anger on his face and Mellow cowered away. Right then, he didn't seem a bit like her dear Jodi. Jodi had never been so angry with her. "What are you talking about? Did you do this?!" He gestured irately to his computer and his problem with the transporters.

-I misspoke. Forgive me. I can give you part of Leon's past even he does not know about.-

Reggie must have guessed by that time that Mellow did, in fact, have more than a little to do with the transporter's mysterious malfunction. Still, he didn't carry though on his threat to expose her. That was good. She had no wish to carry out punishment if he broke the rule.

Mellow knew that no matter how hard they tried, they wouldn't be able to catch her. She could escape into the depths of the Enterprise's titanic computer system and, if she had to, escape to another ship or base that communicated with the Enterprise. She was safe. If she wished it, she could make it look as if she had never been in Reggie's quarters, thus protecting Count D.

Reggie was no threat. The only reason Count D had given Mellow to him was so that she could keep an eye on what was going on in the Enterprise and watch for danger. He hadn't forbid her from giving Reggie information, though.

Mellow tried to ignore Reggie's intense eyes. She knew he was just worried about Leon. -I know about Leon's treatment at Mr. Goti's Home for Emotionally Disturbed Children. Would you like to know?-

Reggie closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "What I want is Leon back here safely. I know enough about his past, I don't need to know more. If the Count put you up to this mess with the transporters then you have to fix them. Leon will die down there!"

-No. That is definite.-

"It is possible." He was getting angrier and angrier. "I know what can happen to him! I've seen it happen and why am I arguing with you? You're just a program!"

Mellow checked the time and knew she needed just a few more minutes. -Here. Watch.- The image on Mellow's screen changed as she let her image be overridden by a visual image she'd found on a small computer kept by Mr. Goti. It wasn't all that hard. He thought his records were secure, and they were from normal computers. He'd never worried about a program with an intelligence that could search more efficiently than any of the Federation's computers. -This is Leon's first day at Mr. Goti's Home for Emotionally Disturbed Children. He is under the influence of hypnosis. Please, listen.- Mellow was so sure that this would catch Reggie's attention.

Instead, Reggie asked, "Why are you trying to distract me?"

-You are too lose, Reggie. Just another moment is all I need.-

Reggie-

It was all there, plain to see and hear.

Mr. Goti sat at his desk while Leon sat opposite of him and spoke for the benefit of recording his findings. Reggie shivered at Mr. Goti's voice, a sound he often heard in nightmares.

"Notes: Patient is ten years, three months old. Male. Height: 4 foot 7 inches. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Name: Leon Barns. No family. Leon was recommended to this facility due to aggressive tendencies and an inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Leon has admitted playing with animals as if they were people and says he sees no difference between animals and humans. Since then, he has changed his story.

The use of this study will be the control of psychic suppressants. Subject has history of dreams that are so life-like he can not determine reality from fantasy. I believe this has lead to the mental exhaustion which causes the violent outbursts. In theory, AX4, the Psychic suppressant chemical, will repress both waking and sleeping dreams and allow subject to lead normal life."

There was a pause while Mr. Goti left his desk and moved his chair so he could sit next to Leon. "Why are you trying to distract me?" Reggie asked, so horrified that he couldn't turn away from the screen. His hands were trembling and he'd started to rock back and forth. He hated that face. Still saw that face and heard that voice in his darkest dreams.

-You are too close, Reggie. Just another moment is all I need.-

"Now," Mr. Goti said in his nightmarishly friendly voice. "Why don't we have a talk, Leon? I want you to think of the happiest moment in your life. Will you do that? Tell me what you see."

Leon's voice was faint, compared to that of Mr. Goti. "My family."

"Really? I thought you were an orphan." His voice was so gentle and kind. So deceptive. "I was told that your parents had died when you were a baby. No brothers or sisters. No aunts, uncles, cousins, or even grandparents."

"Stupid. That's just this time." Leon didn't sound at all upset and that surprised Reggie. He had thought that Leon might get at least a little upset, especially since he was so young when this had happened. "Last time I had a brother. My mom died when I was eighteen."

"But you're only ten, Leon. How is that possible?"

"I told you. It didn't happen this time. It happened last time."

"All right, then. Your mother died, but you have a brother. Where is your father?"

"Damned bastard ran off. Got himself thrown in prison right after he knocked up mom. Idiot went and tried to rob a gas station. Stupid thing to get locked up for." Leon's voice had become very bitter and he spoke as if the words tasted foul. "He can stay away. I don't want him to have anything to do with Chris."

"Chris?"

"My brother." Leon sighed as the tension induced by the mention of his father vanished and he smiled contently. "I want to stay here. It feels right."

"You can't stay in your dreams, Leon. They aren't real."

"Not dreams. Family. They're waiting for me, I have to go home."

"We'll leave that for now. Tell me why you ran away from the last home you were in. Now, now, don't look so worried, no one's angry with you."

"I'm not supposed to tell."

"Why not? Who told you not to tell?"

"D wouldn't want anyone to know."

"D?"

"He's mine."

"I see."

"No, you don't. You can't see it."

"Leon, will you tell me who, exactly, D is?"

"He's my friend and he takes care of Chris."

"Did D tell you to run away?"

"No, the butterfly did."

When Reggie got to this point in the transcription, he had to stop, his vision was blurring. D? Chris? "Stop, Mellow. Stop it, please. I've seen enough."

It was hypnosis, that was how Mr. Goti had gotten Leon to say all those things. Leon would have felt so shamed if he ever knew what Reggie had just seen. Not only had Leon told someone about his dreams, but it had been Mr. Goti who'd recorded it all. Reggie was absolutely furious.

"That Bastard!" Reggie snarled, slamming his fist down onto the computer top. "He went and...he knows everything." Reggie was scared, but not just for Leon. What had Mr. Goti gleaned from Reggie's mind? Reggie couldn't even remember being hypnotized, but that didn't mean anything. All these things were on record, somewhere, and if Mellow could see them then anyone could.

"Mellow, what do you know about Count D?"

-Time has expired. I must leave you now, Reggie.-

Reggie blinked and protested, "No! Wait! I have to know what's going on. What is Count D? Is he dangerous?"

-Not to Leon. Never to Leon.-

"What time limit are you talking about then?"

-It is Leon's time limit. Ten hours has expired and the chemicals he was putting into his body have begun to fully dissipate. Now I will correct the transporters, but I have found that Leon is alone on the planet's surface. Your people have found his abandoned insignia badge and have no idea how to look for him.-

Reggie paled at the thought. "They'll find him with the scanners." He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself.

-I hope you are correct, but I do not think so.-

"Why not?"

Just as the words left Reggie's lips the ship rocked so violently that Reggie was nearly thrown to the floor. He only barely managed to catch himself. The red alert lights began to flash wildly and captain Picard's voice sounded. "All hands, to battle stations!"

"What's going on?!"

-Count D did not wish Leon to be on board when the Enterprise was attacked. That is why I had disabled the transporters until now. I will allow the away team to return, but Leon is far enough away that he will not return with them. He is safe on the planet.-

Actura IV-  
Leon-

The world was foggy. The whole world was covered in a yellow light. Or was that orange. Maybe brown. Leon's head hurt just thinking about it. It was the worst migraine he'd ever had. Probably a hangover. What had he been doing last night? The moon was still up. Oh. So it was still last night. Was it last night or tomorrow night? Wait. That didn't sound right...

Something made a noise and Leon looked off to his right, but he couldn't see anything. The world was black now, entirely drenched in night, but for the moon...er...moons. There were three moons. Now since when did Earth have three moons?

He'd walked out of the colony, but that was alright, because it wasn't home. To be honest, Leon really wasn't sure where he was. The city looked familiar, but it wasn't home. It wasn't where he was supposed to be. He thought he was in a desert, but didn't know why. This couldn't be Los Angelos.

No. Not Los Angelos. Enterprise. That's where he belonged, right? Leon's hand drifted to the little silver badge on his chest and he plucked it off, staring at it as if he'd never seen it before. 'Badge. Enterprise. Starfleet. Yeah, that's where Reggie is. Wonder if he's okay. Poor Reggie.'

Danger.

Of course there's always danger. Bullets flying and ugly little man-faced goats. Crazy vampires drinking cheap beer and mermaids who steal memories. Lonely. He was so lonely. Just wanted a friend. Was that too much to ask?

Leon started running and didn't notice when the insignia badge slipped from his fingers to the cold sand under his feet. They were going to catch him and make him go back. He didn't want that. They? They who? It didn't matter. He just had to get away to somewhere safe where no one would find him. Leon ran until his feet ached, until his lungs burned, and until every muscle of his body was screaming in pain. The world blurred around him, now filling with more colors and it was as if he hadn't opened his eyes in years. The orange and red in the air gave way to share the world with other muted, night colors. Purple in the sky and bright yellow moons. Grey and brown earth and black of the distance mountains against the sky. So much color!

'It...it's like it used to be. Long ago.' Yes, Leon remembered what he had seen as a child, even if he hadn't dared talk to anybody about it, even Reggie. He remembered the beautiful creatures only he could see and he remembered the vivid colors that had been stolen from him the day he started taking the pills Mr. Goti had given him. Only on those days when the pills were kept from him did Leon see the colors again, but then it was only a single color. Bright, unnatural white. More than that, Leon feel so much. His skin felt like it was charged with electricity, every little hair on his arms prickled against his shirt and the air, as he ran, stung his face.

Cold. It hadn't been so cold when he left, had it? Every breath he took felt like ice water filling his lungs. When pinpricks of pain began to stab at the back of his eyes Leon stumbled for the first time and fell flat on his face. The pain lasted only a moment, but when it cleared, Leon was sure he was crying. He must be. There was warmth on his face.

'I think I'll just stay here.' The sand under his cheek was cold, but not as cold as the air.

When Leon did try to get up he was very surprised to find a small bed right in front of him. 'He's all curled up like that. Funny. I thought he was on the Enterprise.' There was the little bed Reggie had used when they were both at Mr. Goti's Home and there was Reggie curled up under the blankets, fast asleep.

Reggie hadn't moved for days after Deirdre had vanished, refusing to eat or drink. Leon forced himself to stand and he made his way over to the bed. "Reggie? Come on, wake up." He gave Reggie a firm shake on the shoulder, but Reggie only curled up more, hiding his head under the blanket. "Reggie. You've gotta get up. It's late."

"He will not wake up."

Leon smiled when he saw who was standing opposite of him, on the other side of Reggie's bed. "Hey. When'd you get here?"

"I have been waiting for you. I think you have been waiting for me, too." It was the faceless man, the one Leon could never quite see. Even now he was shrouded in the darkness of night. Leon could clearly see the man's hands and the long purple painted fingernails. The outfit was different than any of the ones Leon remembered, but so familiar, too. It was a Chinese style with the high mandarin collar, just as they always were when Leon saw him. "How long must I wait for you?"

"Don't know." Leon shrugged. "Why won't Reggie wake up?"

"Because he is not real. You are dreaming."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." The man walked around the bed and came closer until, finally, Leon saw his face. "Ha!" Leon laughed. "I knew it was you all along." He felt a strange satisfaction that he'd guessed right. "Why are you here D?"

"I told you. I have been waiting for you. I thought I should come to see if you are all right." He leaned over and smiled kindly, just as he always did in Leon's dreams. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Let us walk together, then."

To be continued... 


	13. Cursed Beloved

How Long Love Chapter 13: Cursed Beloved

Enterprise-  
Ten Forward-  
Guinan-

"Will you stop them? The Borg, I mean."

"I know who you mean. Why would I stop them?"

Guinan sighed. She really didn't even have to ask. Q so rarely interfered with the goings on of the creatures in his territory. That was the way of the Kami. It was his right to decide whether or not to interfere and Guinan understood that better than almost anyone else on the ship. Still... "You're sure?"

"Oh, yes. This time, they get no help from me at all." There was a malicious glee in Q's voice as he, undoubtedly, thought about the prospects of the imminent encounter. He didn't elaborate on what he was thinking and Guinan thought that it was probably a good thing. "I love seeing the look on Jean-Luc's face when he comes up against something he can't hope to overcome. He looks so deliciously irritated. Not angry or frightened, just irritated. I expect he thinks that death is a minor inconvenience."

"Did anyone ever tell you you're sadistic?" She understood him, but that didn't mean she had to agree. It had been so long since she'd seen life as a Kami should that perhaps she couldn't agree with him. She had too much empathy with the lower creatures she was now forced to live amongst. She'd seen so much of their pain and suffered though enough pain of her own to share Q's cold happiness at the thought of a minor battle.

"Yes." Q looked at her out of the corner of his eye, an unexpected courtesy. "Don't fret. I'm sure they'll do fine. They always do." How strange to hear such a remark from Q.

"Don't let Jean-Luc hear you talking like that." Guinan didn't even try to keep the teasing tone out of her voice. "He'll think you're going soft."

"Let him think what he likes. The fact's stand as they are." Q looked out the window of Ten Forward, all of his many senses intent on the approaching cube. "They've done well in the past against those abominations." More than a hint of distaste filled his voice as he spoke of the Borg.

Guinan followed Q's gaze. Any minute now, the Enterprise's sensors would detect the Borg Cube and the action would stop. She crossed her arms and prepared herself. Even Kami were not truly immortal. Guinan was especially vulnerable without her planet to give her power. She could easily die. With that morbid thought in mind, Guinan's hand slipped into a concealed pocket of her outfit. Her fingers wrapped around a small, marble sized, irregularly shaped rock. From that little rock, she felt a tingle of power.

It was her last remaining piece of her planet. A single stone from a once glorious world. It was also the only thing keeping her alive.

"Let's hope history repeats itself." Because if there was a life lost, and if that life happened to be that of a certain blonde human, Guinan suspected that they would have to wish that the Earth Kami should die with hi human. To have an enraged, grief stricken Kami on the Enterprise would surely mean death for everyone on board.

Q was thinking about something, Guinan believed as she looked at his reflection in the window. Of course she couldn't tell what, Kami were unable to understand each other in such ways as they understood the creatures of their own domains. Still, she was sure she saw something different about him. His posture or the set of his face, just something that was different. There was something on his mind more than just the approaching Borg. Q was the sort of being who could laugh at the misfortune of others. He could also cry with a dying star because he could feel the pain it was in, the immense grief of such a thing as a star. He'd told Guinan, once, that stars could feel as easily as any other creature. They didn't think or feel exactly the same as creatures such as humans or vulcans or klingons did, but pain...pain was universal.

It disturbed Guinan, that look in Q's eyes. Intense and thoughtful. It made Guinan realize that she hadn't actually spoken with Q in such a long time. Oh, he visited the ship as often as he could without being conspicuous to the others of his clan, but he rarely deigned to come to her Ten-Forward. Guinan disliked his visits, he disrupted the smooth running of the ship and always drove poor Jean-Luc slightly mad with his games. She hadn't really spoken to him in centuries, not like she was now. She wasn't really bothered by the fact that he was thinking, no Kami could truly be called stupid. Foolish or insane, yes. Stupid, no. It was the fact that she could tell that he was thinking. Kami liked to keep their masks on, especially around each other. Even their new guest, the D Kami from Earth, had a mask to hide his thoughts and whatever type of emotions he might have. Q was letting something slip passed his mask, though, and Guinan itched to know the cause of the slip. She wanted to know what Q was thinking and what could distract him to show what he didn't want to show.

Oh. There they were. Guinan's attention was stolen away when the Borg Cube appeared visually and red lights began flashing in Ten Forward.

"Jean-Luc's seen them." Q commented, unnecessarily. "It's about time."

"Impatient, aren't you?"

"I like to see how Jean-Luc will react. Hush now. This will be fun."

Guinan knew it then. She knew what distracted Q so badly and it worried her deeply. He was thinking of Jean-Luc.

Tet-chan-

"Bradley? Where'd you go?"

Tet-chan ignored Alexander and wondered how long he could hide under the child's bed. He really didn't want to be here and if it weren't for the fact that it was the Count's request, he'd have escaped easily and been nagging at Chris to clean his room or eat all his vegetables. Instead, he was waiting for some alien child to leave so he could start investigating the starship.

Alexander was being stubborn, though, and Tet-chan was bored under the bed. There weren't even any dust bunnies to play with.

Tet-chan felt old. This was exactly the reason why he didn't like having free time on his hands. It gave him far too much time to think. To think of what used to be. He thought of the long, lonely years spent by Chris' bedside, waiting and wishing for the boy's eyes to open. All the guilt and misery he'd suffered though that terrible time. To think of the times before he'd given himself to Count D, given his life over to the great and glorious Kami. Tet-chan was happy with his life, for the most part. It was no debasement to himself that he served the Count, in fact many would consider it a great honor. Tet-chan knew for a fact that he gave the Count great honor just by consenting to live as one of the Count's pets. The other two Kami would have loved to have Tet-chan in their own collections.

'Collection? Yes. I guess that's what I am. A nick-nack on a shelf to collect dust.' Tet-chan shook that depressing thought away. He didn't like it. Too often in the passed years had Tet-chan thought of his own life and what, exactly, he was. He'd wondered if he was really important to the Count or...or if he was just another pet. Another adoring creature to happily die for the Count's pleasure.

It was painfully obvious that the Count was in love with Leon. Tet-chan couldn't ignore the fact or dismiss it. The Count had spent the passed few centuries waiting for Leon. Tet-chan didn't have a chance. He loved the Count, too. Hopeless and madly, he loved the Kami who owned him. It didn't matter. Tet-chan knew he would not stop loving the Count, he couldn't. So he would spend the rest of his life basking in the beauty of the Count. He would do everything in his power to please the Count. He would obey and he would cook and he would mind the children while the Count perused that human...perused Leon.

So...yes.

When all was said and done, he was just another pet.

"Bradley? Don't you want to eat?"

'Ugg. Why must it be Bradley?' Tet-chan's thoughts were interrupted by the child who'd found him in one of the corridors.

Alexander got on his hands and knees and peered under the bed. "I have to go to school now. Don't you want breakfast first?" He smelled so vastly different from Chris that Tet-chan had to steel himself not to recoil away from the child. Smell was almost everything to animals and Tet-chan was no exception. At least this child had a vague, lingering human sort of scent. "Come on, don't be shy." Alexander pouted. "Father's probably going to make me get rid of you, anyway. You must belong somewhere. I wonder if you just wandered out of the zoological lab."

Tet-chan turned his head away. There wasn't much possibility that Alexander would be giving him human flesh and if it wasn't human, Tet-chan didn't want it. He could wait until he got home to eat. The Count always had something delicious saved for Tet-chan.

"Awww..." Alexander sighed. "Come on." He reached under the bed suddenly and seized one of Tet-chan's horns and started to pull.

Unintentionally, Tet-chan let out a muted roar, more of surprise than pain. He snarled in protest, wishing that the child could understand him but knowing that if he could the Count would surely scold him for using such language in front of an innocent child, alien or not. He tried to dig his claws into the carpet to keep himself under the bed. The little boy was stubborn, though, and kept pulling with strength that his scrawny little body couldn't have. Alexander sat on the floor and added his other hand.

"Come on, Bradley!" Alexander urged as he pulled with all his strength. "I'll miss school if you don't come out and father will yell at me, again!" With his hands on both of Tet-chan's horns, he yanked hard enough to make Tet-chan think killing the child might not be such a bad idea after all. The last person to pull his horns like that had been Chris the first day they'd met. "Don't sulk under there!"

In the end, after a bit of a tussle, Tet-chan allowed himself to be pulled out and led to the 'breakfast'. It wasn't much of a meal and Tet-chan had no intention of putting any of into his mouth. It was a bowl of some kind of short, wiggling worm and it smelled horrible. "Go on." Alexander encouraged with a blissful expression on his face as he knelt on the floor next to Tet-chan. "Father says targs love this stuff."

Instead, Tet-chan lay down on his stomach and refused to even open his mouth. If the boy was brave enough to try and force Tet-chan's mouth open, he'd take a few fingers to teach the boy caution.

Alexander waited a few minutes before his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Oh, all right. I'll be back after school. Just stay out of trouble and maybe father will let me keep you." He left the room looking extremely disappointed.

This was just too much. Tet-chan was a gourmet. Why should he be forced to eat filth? It would kill him, surely. Then again, maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Would it really be so awful to die? Sometimes, Tet-chan didn't think so. 'Stupid.' Tet-chan berated himself. 'Too busy. Can't just die.' That was right. He had far too many responsibilities to take care of. Even if Chris was awake and even if they had found Leon, Tet-chan couldn't let himself die. He just knew Chris would cry if he died and he couldn't stand to see that. Then again, it wasn't as if he had much of a future except for serving the Count. Not that he didn't love serving the Count!

Just...there would be no young. He was the last of his kind and that could sometimes get lonely, if he thought about it for to long. He'd gone for years without seeing another Tou-Tetsu, but it hadn't really worried him. Tou-Tetsu's were solitary creatures, but for immediate family. He didn't start even thinking about it until he was claimed by the Count. That was why he was so prized. The last of the Tou-Tetsu. After his death, there would be no more.

Tet-chan had never expected to live as long as he had. He had long ago believed that he was the last of his kind. All other Tou-Tetsu's had been hunted down by humans, one of Tet-chan's many reasons for hating them. Once, so long ago that he could barely remember, Tet-chan had a younger sister. She was precocious and arrogant. A pretty little thing with long hair as red as his own and the sweetest smile. He could still remember having to pull nettles out of her hair when she'd come home a mess from some hunting. That had been a long time ago.

Long before Tet-chan had given himself to his master.

Back in the days when humans still lived in rude villages and dressed in the skins of animals. When the sky was like diamond, clear and without the pollution induced by fire and other things Tet-chan really didn't understand. When he lived in the dark jungles of, what humans called, India. The near stifling heat and the always humid air...the cries of other hunters in the safety of the night. How simple those days had been.

There was a memory tickling at the back of his mind, begging to be let to the front. Another child with dark skin and innocent eyes. A child like Chris, whom Tet-chan loved as his own blood. A child with bright eyes whose hunger for human flesh rivaled Tet-chan's. Only, his name had not been Tet-chan. Back then, he was Sein-Yau.  
Flashback-

He waited in the cool of the night, watching the field carefully. All the men were leaving, returning to their homes in the nearby village.

"Now?"

"Hush." He whispered warningly. "Soon." He was waiting for one, in particular. One that he'd been watching for several days and nights. He knew the young man's habits by now. He knew this one would wait a little while after the others had left, lagging behind to finish his work while others went home to their families. He was a hard worker and without a family. Perfect prey.

"Sein-Yau, why are we waiting? I'm hungry."

Sein-Yau had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. They hadn't eaten in days, but that was no excuse. "Impatience rarely fills empty bellies, sister." He murmured. She was small, so much smaller than Sein-Yau that he almost regretted taking her out to hunt like this. Still, she had to learn sometimes and her instincts were going to start leading her on solitary hunts, soon. Sein-Yau would see that she was trained to keep herself out of trouble before that happened. "I see the one we want and there will be time when there are no distractions. The other humans would cause trouble, if they knew what lived so close by."

"I don't care what they think. I'm hungry!" Pau-Ni licked her lips, never taking her eyes from the lone human still digging away at the rice field with his long-handled hoe. "Isn't he lovely?" She added in a longing voice. Sein-Yau knew his dear sister wasn't talking about the man's looks, though he was fine looking, for a human. Rather long hair, black, like that of all the villagers, and a smooth, unblemished face. He was bare from the chest up and wore only knee-length trousers of the roughest wool. It was easy to see how hard he worked, his body was lean, muscled and covered in sweat.

"I will roast him." Sein-Yau announced with a pleased smile. "With a bit of garlic."

Pau-Ni snorted, earning herself a smack on the back of head. In the field the young man had started at the noise and Sein-Yau didn't want him frightened away. "Hush."

"You always have to cook everything! Can't we eat him raw?" Pau-Ni rubbed her head where Sein-Yau had whacked her.

"No." Sein-Yau hated to just eat anything. It had to be done properly. "Be quiet and watch. I think it's time. You stay here." The sun was now set and the field was properly dark. The young man was alone and stood up to wipe his forehead clean of the sweat. He seemed surprised to find that it was so dark and Sein-Yau thought it was amusing that he'd thrust himself into his work with so much enthusiasm that he'd entirely lost track of time. With a smile that showed his satisfaction of a job well done, the young man put the hoe over his shoulder and started his way back to the village.

"Now, now!" Pau-Ni poked her brother in the ribs to get him moving.

"Leave off! I know what I'm doing." How was he supposed to hunt properly when she kept talking? Still, she had to learn somewhere and if he didn't teach her, no one would. When he looked back at his prey, Sein-Yau almost ran. Almost. He lowered his voice a bit and spoke with utmost confidence. It wasn't as if this was the first time he'd done this. "Rohit." He said only just loudly enough so that he knew the man would hear him. He stepped into the moonlight and knew that the young man's attention would be on him, not on Pau-Ni.

Rohit looked, and smelled, confused. Still, he didn't dash away. Not that it would have mattered much. Sien-Yau could have easily run him down before he got close to his village. "How do you know me? You aren't from the village."

"No. I've been watching you." It was called seduction and Sein-Yau was very good at it. "You're a hard worker."

"I do my best." He was still cautious and Sein-Yau felt his adrenaline start to pump. "What's your name?"

"You may call me Wong." He pulled the name out of the air. The name didn't matter. He ran a hand though his loose hair, knowing that Rohit would like it. Humans seemed to appreciate long hair, for some reason. He kept his eyes locked on Rohit's and made his way closer. Slow was the key. Nice and easy. He didn't want this handsome thing to get frightened. "Would you care for something to eat? You look like you've been working all day." Of course Sein-Yau knew Rohit had been working all day. He'd been watching. "You must be hungry and I have a delicious dinner waiting at my home."

Rohit didn't move when Sein-Yau got close to him. Up close, he was even more beautiful. Best of all, Sein-Yau could tell that Rohit was still a virgin. Untouched. The pure always tasted sweeter and Sein-Yau wanted to give his sister only the best food. "Where do you live?"

"In the forest. It's not far." Sein-Yau hoped Rohit would play along. Much more pleasant to do it without so much screaming and thrashing about. There was no need for senseless cruelty, after all. He held out a hand to Rohit, encouragingly. "Don't worry. I promise not to do anything dastardly."

"And if I want something dastardly?" The question came out very suddenly and Rohit looked embarrassed for having said it. Obviously, he'd spoken before he'd thought. "I...I mean..."

"The invitation's still open." Sein-Yau interrupted, now certain that he had trapped his prey. He turned slightly away from Rohit, trying to hide his amused smile. "Walk with me, if you please." He started walking slowly away. Everything was perfect and Sein-Yau wasn't a bit surprised when he heard the soft crunch of footsteps behind him. He didn't react when the taller Rohit slipped an arm over his shoulders. What did Rohit think? That he'd found some easy bit of fluff? A pretty face to spend the night with? Let him think what he pleased.

He led Rohit into the dark forest, but only as far as he knew where his sister was waiting. Once out there, he let Rohit guide him against a tree. He was confident, for a virgin. Sein-Yau suspected that Rohit acted confident so Sein-Yau wouldn't think him unskilled. How cute.

Sein-Yau took the aggressive stance after that, though. He took Rohit's face in his hands and brought it down for a kiss. For a beginner, Rohit was quite good. His kiss wasn't slobbery or like kissing sand. Still, he was getting nervous, and Sein-Yau let his hands fall down to Rohit's arms. He reveled in the feel. Strong and warm, he felt so good under Sein-Yau's hands. He pulled the human closer, pleased to feel the solid warmth against his body. He let one hand run down Rohit's back while Rohit got up the nerve to touch Sein-Yau's hair.

While Rohit was distracted, Sein-Yau saw Pau-Ni creeping closer and closer to the young man's back. She had one hand partially curled and her claws unsheathed. There was an eager little smile on her child's lips. She looked so sweet. Sein-Yau tightened his fingers around Rohit's hair and held him still.

"What are you..." The question was lost when Sein-Yau jerked Rohit's head back, exposing his throat. There was a flash of panic and mouth-watering fear rolled off the lovely man. His heart quicken splendidly and Sein-Yau held the man against his own bare chest so he wouldn't miss a single racing heartbeats.

Sein-Yau smiled, almost laughing at the exquisite, sensual pleasure.

Rohit's terror reached the climax when his rolled back and he saw Pau-Ni. He had only time to take a quick gasp of air before she slashed his throat with his claws and he sagged limply in Sein-Yau's arms.

"Oh, good. Pau-Ni." Sein-Yau praised even as he lowered the kill to the ground and petted the man's hair, almost affectionately. "Nice and quick. I'm very proud of you."

End Flashback-

She was dead. Had been dead for a very long time. Skinned and roasted over a blazing fire, her head severed from her body and stuck on a pike. Tet-chan had woken from a fever to find his sister missing from their den. A short search later and he'd found her, partially eaten by the very village they'd taken Rohit from.

Tet-chan shivered. He hated humans.

The whole ship began to shudder and red lights began flashing. An unreal voice spoke from the walls, but it wasn't Mellow's familiar voice.

-Red alert. Red alert. We are under attack. All vital crew members report to your posts. All civilian passengers, stay in your quarters. Red alert. Red...-

Tet-chan stopped listening and rose to his feet, in human guise. An attack. This was something the Count would want to know about. Tet-chan pushed aside the thoughts of his long dead sister and his misery over his status as treasured nick-knack. There was work to do. He strode out of the quarters and went about searching for the cause of this 'red alert', whatever that was.

Reggie-

It took Reggie only a moment to make his decision. As an engineer Reggie rarely had need for a phasor, but he did have one, which he grabbed out of his desk drawer. They'd left Leon behind on the planet and he was no doubt suffering from withdrawal.

-Where are you going, Reggie?- Mellow asked.

"To find Leon." It meant court-martial, at the very least. He should be rushing to engineering. He shouldn't even be thinking of Leon. That's what everyone was going to tell him once he got back to the Enterprise. If he got back. "Mellow, will..." He stopped when the ship rocked again and did his best to ignore the red alert warnings. He had to be fast. They'd notice his absence soon enough. Geordie was disturbingly observant when Reggie didn't want him to be. "Will you help me?" He really wasn't sure how much she could help, but he knew she could help. She wasn't an ordinary computer program and she wasn't just a game. "Can you help me?"

Mellow was silent for a moment and Reggie was afraid she'd refuse. There were only a few things he really needed, but it would be harder without Mellow's help and, knowing how Picard usually reacted in battles, he would move the ship away from Actura IV before Reggie could get down there. -Yes. We can not let Leon die. That would be...bad.-

"Great!" Reggie headed for the door, then paused. "Can you follow me to the transporter room?"

-I am everywhere on this ship, Reggie. Just speak to me and I will do as you wish.-

Reggie wasted no more time and bolted out of his quarters while speaking out loud to Mellow. He really didn't care if anyone heard him or what they might think. His friend was in danger. His only friend. Reggie had failed Deirdre, but he wouldn't fail Leon. "I need to use the transporters, but they won't be letting anyone use them in a battle. I have to get to the planet before the captain moves the Enterprise away." Actually, Reggie would have felt better if he could grab some of Leon's medication to take with him, but he didn't even know where Leon kept it. Searching would take too much time. Besides, at this point, it might not help. "Then, I need to stop them from taking me back to the Enterprise after I get down there. I have to find Leon first. After that, they can bring us back."

-Easily done.- Mellow assured him. -Go to the nearest transporter room and I will take you to the planet. I will not allow the ship to move until you have gone. I will not allow the transporters to function until you have found Leon.-

"Thank you." Reggie desperately wanted to know what Mellow was and why Count D had given her to Reggie. He wanted to know how deeply Mellow could get into the Enterprise, though he suspected she had unlimited access from what he'd seen. The captain wouldn't be pleased when he learned there was a program controlling his ship, especially in the middle of a battle.

The transporter room was empty and Reggie dashed up onto the platform. It occurred to him, the moment he stepped onto the platform, that he honestly didn't care what happened to the Enterprise. Oh, it would be a pity for them all to die in the battle with whomever they were fighting, but he didn't care enough to disregard Leon. Leon came first before everything and everyone else. "I'm ready, Mellow." No going back now.

Before he knew it, he was on Actura IV. The sky was murky with twin moons, one slightly larger than the other, making their way across the sick looking night. He saw, or thought he saw, a sparkle of light moving high above and he felt a twinge of guilt. Then he shook his head and started moving. It wasn't as if he'd have been able to do anything to help. He had to save Leon. At least, he had to be there for Leon...if...

'I won't let him die alone.'

The thought chilled Reggie.

'Might as well face it. I let Deirdre die, but at least I was with her in the end. That must have given her some comfort.' There was no doubt in Reggie's mind about that. He had as good as killed her. The communicator she'd wanted him to make. It should have been ridiculously easy for him, even as a child. But she'd still been found out which meant he'd made an error. One single mistake and she'd died for it. Now, Leon would die for his mistake. 'Should have told the captain. Should have told doctor Crusher, or Deanna, at least. Should have told someone or done something. Anything. I couldn't help Leon, at least I can be for him now. He WON'T be alone in the end.'

Only one problem. He had a whole planet to search.

Leon-

'I promised I'd come back. He was so damned worried and now I've broken my word.' A burst of pain, like fire in his gut made Leon fall to one knee, grunting in pain.

Leon waited for the pain to subside, though it didn't entirely vanish. "Don't think I should rest. If I stop...if I sleep...I think I might die." Did he say that out loud? Withdrawal. That's what it was, plain and simple. 'Guess I should have listened to Reggie to start with.' The gut wrenching, bone gnawing pain that seemed to be eating away at him from the inside out. Leon leaned over and threw up the remains of his last meal. At least, he hoped it was the last of it. He'd thrown up so much in the past hour or so that he was starting to worry that he'd vomit his stomach up, next.

All the while, D was with him and he urged Leon to sit, which Leon did happily. Leon was pretty sure he was shaking and his head hurt something awful. Leon reached up and seized D's thin had when D moved to pat his hair. "Are you real?"

"I am as real as you need me to be."

"That's not much of an answer." He rubbed his thumb over D's knuckles and felt the firm, cool flesh. "You feel real."

"I suppose you are going to say that is not enough."

"I don't know. I want you to be real. To be here. Weren't you still on the ship? How did you get down here?"

D didn't answer. "How are you feeling now?"

"Like I've got a large family of bad tempered badgers running around inside me. Ya know, I thought you'd left me." Leon tried to smile, but even that hurt. It felt like the muscles in his face were all taunt and sore.

"No." D didn't smile back. "Not yet."

"Are you real?" Hadn't he just asked that?

"Can you not tell?"

"I'm not sure." Leon touched D's hair and it felt real. Soft like silk over his rough fingers. "You feel real. I can even smell that damned incense. I think you're real." Leon sounded pitifully hopeful, even to himself, and was embarrassed. He didn't want D to think badly of him. "You think I'm gonna die?"

D's eyes lowered. "You must not give up, Leon. You promised to come back to me and I will hold you to that promise."

"It hurts." Leon all but whimpered when another spasm of pain shook his whole body. "I'm sorry. I wanted to come back."

D tightened his hand around Leon's.

Reggie-

Reggie went away from the settlement, when he saw its lights in the distance. If Leon were trying to avoid being found, he wouldn't go right into the only populated area on the whole planet. That is, if he was still thinking rationally. There was always a chance that Leon was passed the point of logic and was just wandering around in a stupor, or worse.

Should have asked Mellow if he could contact her while he was on the planet. No, better not try. Better to just find Leon and let everyone else fight whoever the enemy was.

"Your friend is further to your right."

Reggie started, his hand going instantly for the phasor at his side when he heard the voice.

"I have tolerated your kind on my world for a short while, but my tolerance does not extend to threats." She was beautiful. At least, Reggie thought it was a she. Not that her shape was especially female or male, but Reggie just had the impression that she was female. Inhuman black eyes, not even close to being human eyes, regarded Reggie coolly. Her skin was black, like tar, and she was absolutely hairless. On her back were two pair of translucent wings, like that of an insect. Even in the darkness, there was a shine to her skin, if it truly was skin, and she moved towards Reggie in a slow, graceful glide. "Release your weapon, human."

Reggie's hand opened and his phasor fell to the ground with a soft thud.

'Pick it up!' Reggie screamed at himself. 'She's an alien and maybe one of the ones attacking the Enterprise! Pick it up! If she knows where Leon is...if she's hurt him...' But he couldn't take his eyes off her. There was something about the way she moved, something in her voice, that frightened him and yet seemed familiar. Reggie felt as if someone else were controlling him. He could move and he could think perfectly normally, but he couldn't pick up his phasor. That was the one thing he really HAD to do, but he couldn't. He couldn't even move his eyes to look at it.

"H-h-hello." Reggie fought to keep himself sounding halfway intelligent. He didn't recognize her species. As far as anyone knew Actura IV wasn't inhabited by anyone other than the Earth colonists. She tolerated humans? What was that supposed to mean? "I-I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm looking for my friend." Stupid thing to say. Of course she must know that, she'd just pointed out where Leon was.

The alien slowly walked around Reggie, tilting her head curiously this way and that, as if to get a better look at him. She was basically humanoid, though her arms were a bit longer than a human's would be and she had webbing between her fingers and toes. "You are an invader, like the others."

Reggie blinked. Invader? "I c-came here on the Enterprise." If Reggie could just keep his voice strong and steady, he was sure he'd be all right.

She turned and looked into the distance, though Reggie couldn't see anything in the darkness. "Your friend will die, shortly."

Reggie didn't bother to refute what she said. It was all too likely that Leon would die in the next few hours. "How far?"

"Not far." She paused, studying Reggie as if she didn't quite approve of what she saw. "That human should not die. He is important. The grief of a Kami is no small matter. If your friend were to die here, I fear war would come to us. Madness would strike the one claims your friend and he would want vengeance against life itself. Your friend...the cursed beloved..." Her voice trailed away for a moment. "Beloved by something so powerful that his death would be a curse to all other living beings."

"I don't u-understand."

"No." She stepped even closer so that there were only a few feet between them. "I suppose you do not. Nor should you. Go to your friend and take him away. When he dies, I do not wish him to be on my world. Perhaps if he dies in the Void, my world will be spared your Kami's heartache."

"Kami?" He'd heard that word before. It was like a god, wasn't it? "Are you a Kami?"

She acted as if she hadn't heard. "The pain of Kami is not a private thing. War we have avoided for uncountable eons will surface and the destruction will be spread on a cosmic level. It all lays on the head of one frail, abused creature."

Reggie had no idea what to make of that. "Sorry..."

"No. Go to him." She stepped aside and, as if it were some kind of signal that Reggie hadn't even known, he started walking again.

"Can you help him? Do you have any medicine or anyway to treat him? If you ARE a Kami..." If she wasn't a Kami, then there would be another ship around here. No. That wasn't a good thought. She could be one of the enemy currently engaged in battle with the Enterprise. At this point, Reggie would take whatever help he could get. "Has your ship landed nearby?"

She seemed to find this amusing and laughed, a deep gravely sound. "No. This planet is my home. I have always been here. I apologize, but there is no way I can help your friend. Anything I tried to do would only harm him further."

"Who are you?"

"You may call me B." With that mysterious answer, she stepped backward and vanished into the night.

Reggie took a deep breath. No time for this. He started running towards where she'd said Leon was and didn't waste time grabbing his phasor. He had the feeling that if he'd tried, he wouldn't have been able to get it.

Reggie wasn't disappointed. He found Leon sitting on the ground all hunched over. His legs were bent at the knees and his head hung forward. "Leon!" Reggie almost cried when he skid to his knees next to Leon. The stench of vomit was still clung to him and his skin was sallow and unhealthy. "Leon, look at me, please." Reggie took Leon's face in his hands and tilted it so he could see Leon as well as the moonlight allowed. Leon's skin was cold to the touch and trembling.

For a moment, Leon looked right through Reggie. "Reggie? That you?"

"Yeah, I'm right here."

"Where's D?"

"He's still on the ship. You can see him when we get back."

Leon shook his head slowly. "No. Don't want him to see me like this. I don't feel good." Leon curled his head against his shoulder at an uncomfortable looking angle. "Everything hurts. I thought D was here. I was sure he was right here."

Reggie bit his lip and put his arm around Leon's shoulders. "Please, don't worry. I'll see that you get back to Count D. We just have to wait." Alive or not, he would take Leon back to Count D.

"Let me know if D comes back." Leon let himself relax against Reggie and closed his eyes. "I'm tired, Reggie. Everything hurts."

"I know. I'm sorry."

They sat together until Leon's trembles turned into violent shaking and he started screaming from the pain. Tears ran down Leon's face as his body bucked and jerked uncontrollably. At times the pain subsided and Leon could speak again, but each time, he became more and more vague. He spoke of a child and his mother. He spoke about people and things Reggie had never heard of. When he spoke, he didn't even look at Reggie, half the time, but stared up at the two moons overhead.

"Wonder if the rabbit really is there with the princess. D said they're dead. The princess came down to Earth to lead astray men...the rabbits are making medicine..." Then Leon fell silent and he didn't speak again, no matter what Reggie said to him.

Reggie took Leon's hand and squeezed it, hoping that Leon could feel it and at least be a little reassured. Too far to carry Leon to the colony and no way to contact the Enterprise until Mellow brought it back. 'Deirdre died because of my mistake. Now Leon's going to die because I'm a coward and I didn't tell anyone he needed help. I could have, but I didn't want him to hate me. Would have been better to have him alive and hate me than dead.' All he could do now was wait and hope Leon's death would be easier than Deirdre's. 'Then, after he's gone, maybe I'll follow him. It's not like I've got anything to live for.'

Enterprise-  
Tet-chan-

-Tet-chan, there are Borg on this ship.-

"What's a Borg?" Tet-chan asked. The corridors of the ship were empty. Not a single person and it made Tet-chan nervous. He prowled around anxiously, trying to find the source of the attack.

-Borg. They are listed many times in the Enterprise's database. They are seeking information along with new specimens to assimilate into their collective.-

Tet-chan frowned. "What the Hell are you talking about?"

-We must get them off the Enterprise or the Count will be in great danger.-

Now that, Tet-chan understood. "Right. How?"

-I will get their ship away, but the Count may be angry with me. He asked me to keep myself a secret from the people of this ship and I am afraid I will have to reveal myself.-

Something in her tone worried him. "Is this dangerous?"

-No more so than the Borg on this ship. We can not have them threatening the Count. I can get them away, do not worry.-

"Get on with it, Mellow. I'll keep an eye on things here."

-Agreed.-

-My dears, what are you doing?- The Count's voice rang into their conversation and Tet-chan was taken aback. He'd thought that the Count was aware of everything that was going on. Then he remember that was the reason why he hadn't returned to the petshop. He was supposed to keep the Count informed about what was going on. 

"This ship has been invaded by Borg things, Count. Mellow says they're dangerous things and that she'll chase them away. Says you'll be angry at her, but if she doesn't do this then we'll never get home."

-Yes. I understand. Mellow will no doubt do the right thing. Are you in danger?-

"No, Count. I haven't even seen one, yet. I'll see if I can find out what's going on, but I don't know if there's anything I can do to help Mellow. My claws and teeth wouldn't do much good against these things if they're as dangerous as Mellow thinks."

-Then do not try. Keep yourself safe.-

"Yes, Count." He hadn't gone more than ten steps before Mellows voice caught him again.

-Tet-chan, go to engineering!-

"What?" Tet-chan didn't hesitate in obeying, though. As soon as Mellow had spoken, lights on the side of the corridor began flashing, leading him to wherever Mellow wanted him. "What's happening?"

-Faster!- Mellow urged. -They will kill Geordi LaForge. We must have him alive. He is vital to the running of this ship. If he dies, then they may never get this ship repaired and we will never get back to Earth!-

That was bad. "What repairs? I don't see any damage."

-Trust me. There is much damage and he is needed to repair it. From their records, I believe only Geordi LaForge and Reggie have the abilities to repair the ship and Reggie is not available. You must not let Geordi LaForge die. Forgive me. I can not help more than I already am. I have set a shield for him, but I must..." Her voice died in a moment of static, but the lights kept flashing and Tet-chan followed. He had faith that the lights would lead him to where Mellow wanted him to be and he was right.

The lights ended just at a section of the wall where there was a hand-hold. With a sharp pull, Tet-chan pull the section of wall away and found a narrow tunnel. It would have been hard for Mr. Wong's large body to get through the tunnel, but Tet-chan's other humanoid shape was much smaller and could fit easily. He shifted with a thought and assumed his teenager-like body. It was much closer to his true self than Mr. Wong and he felt more comfortable. At the end of the tunnel, there was another panel that Tet-chan had to push off and when he did, he found himself almost face to face with one of the Borg.

"Who the Hell are you?" Looking to his left, Tet-chan saw a human with a kind of metal covering over his eyes. He smelled frightened, though he was furiously trying to type on the computer console. The man raised his weapon and Tet-chan knocked it out of his hands easily.

"Are you Geordi LaForge?" Tet-chan demanded. Of course, it must be him.

"What's that got to do with anything?" He rubbed his hand and kept what he thought was a safe distance between himself and Tet-chan. "Who are you?"

Tet-chan looked at the Borg he'd been facing and found himself facing several others that had just arrived. "Aren't you popular?" Tet-chan asked, sarcastically. There was a ripple in the air. "Huh?"

"Some kind of force field set itself up here. I can't figure it out. It wasn't there a minute ago."

"Mellow." Tet-chan grabbed Geordi by the arm and pulled him towards the tunnel. "Let's get out of here." With luck, Mellow would be able to follow them with the shield.

Geordi tried to pull away, but couldn't match Tet-chan's strength. "We're not going anywhere, kid. Don't you understand? They can transport all over the ship. Somehow, the field that's up now is blocking them."

"Mellow won't let it fail. Get out of here." He could possibly get the human back to the petshop with mellow guarding them and hope that the Count forgave him. Tet-chan tried pushing Geordi to the tunnel, but found the human still resisting. He wanted to leave the human behind to be killed, or kill him himself, but that would only inconvenience the Count. Tet-chan opened his mouth and snarled, showing all his sharp teeth. "Move!"

The Borg seemed to be confused and made a futile attempt to get through the shield. It didn't work and they backed up, apparently to think again.

He'd almost got Geordi to the tunnel when the Borg opened fire on the shield and the shield looked as if it were starting to waver. Tet-chan turned to the human. "You stay here and you die! Make a choice!" As if he really wanted to save a human, anyway.

Geordi never even answered for, at that moment, the shield vanished and there was nothing between them and the Borg. There wasn't time to do anything

Captain Picard-

The situation was desperate. There were Borg on his ship and he couldn't fight them. "Mr. Worf, weapons?!"

"Failing, sir!" Worf thundered back. "Shields are at fifty two percent and failing."

As if the day could get any worse.

Q had shown up and let loose some kind of alien fox on the ship, which they still hadn't caught. They'd lost a crewman on Actura IV and had no idea if he was even alive or what was wrong with him, according to Beverly Crusher. Now the Borg. He sometimes felt like the universe was conspiring against his poor ship. The ship rocked again under the assault of the Borg weapons and Jean-Luc was seriously starting to doubt that they'd find a way out of this situation.

Hanging onto his chair with all his might, Jean-Luc gritted his teeth and snarled. "Where are they?"

"All Borg on the Enterprise are in Engineering, sir." Data answered as calmly as if they weren't in immediate danger of death. "All sensor show they are clustered around a terminal and Geordi." If there was anything that could worry Data, it was danger to Geordi. They'd been close ever since they'd met when Geordi first came on board the Enterprise. "He is the only crewman in engineering currently alive."

"Can we beam him out?"

"Negative, sir. The Borg are blocking us."

Jean-Luc frowned. That was a very odd thing to do. If they weren't taking Geordi for absorption into the collective, then why were they concentrating on him? The answer was ominously clear. They could do a lot more damage to the Enterprise if they're main engineer was dead. In that case, though, why wasn't Geordi dead? They DID wanted to take Geordi for absorption into the collective. They'd cripple the Enterprise by taking her head engineer and take his knowledge into the collective. Jean-Luc's hands tightened around the arm wrests of his command chair when he realized the logical answer.

All of a sudden, the bridge went completely dark and an unfamiliar, computerized voice spoke. -Forgive me. I must borrow your ship. I will return it momentarily.-

"Who are you?" Jean-Luc nearly yelled, his temper finally starting to fray. Normally, he was a man of limitless patience, but the Borg were a particular sore spot for him. Even now, with the threat right inside his own ship, all he could seem to think about was what it had been like that short time he'd been apart of the collective. How wonderful it had felt to be apart of something so massive. To have all those others with him inside his own mind. Jean-Luck shook his head once and tried to focus his eyes. When he still couldn't see a thing, Jean-Luc called for the one person on his bridge that could, probably, see. "Data!"

"Sir, something has taken over the Enterprise." There was a long pause. "I can not get any of the controls to function."

"The Borg?" He had a cold sinking feeling in his stomach. This was the end, then? The ship was eerily still since the last attack and no one could hear a sound.

"Unlikely. I do not believe they would use a voice, such as we just heard, to deceive us. Their methods usually prove far more blunt."

-Hello? Please?- The voice spoke again and Jean-Luc noticed that it sounded, vaguely, like the voice of a young woman or a girl. The main screen lit up, but not with the usual star-scape. Instead, it was filled with gray static. Very slowly, an image began to form. Nothing distinct, but a slow, lazy movement was moving across the screen. Jean-Luc watched the movement, as he was sure everyone did, until he could clearly make out what it was. A fish. A delicate, beautiful fish with very intelligent eyes. -Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, do not be afraid. I require your ship for only a short while.-

"Return control of my ship! We are under attack!" Whoever it was who'd taken his ship had to have noticed that! "Whatever game this is..."

-No game, Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I can defeat your enemy and I am afraid I can not wait for your compliance. Be patient. I will do my best.- The voice went silent and the screen went blank, but all around the bridge the computers began to come to life and the darkness was pierced by the flashing of lights.

"Data, can you get anything?!" This was all they needed. For all they knew, the Borg would walk onto the bridge any minute. God only knew how many people had died in the passed few minutes alone. "Anything at all! The source of that voice?"

"Negative. We are powerless. The ship is being operated from elsewhere."

Petshop-  
D-

D knew what was going on through the eyes of his dear Tet-chan and he didn't like it at all. Those Borg things. Mockery of life. It was...obscene!

D paced in his bed chambers, not even bothering to hide his worry. Who would see him? He hadn't expected it to go like this. Leon was supposed to be back on the Enterprise by this time, not languishing on that forsaken planet.

If only he could see what Mellow was doing, perhaps it would be easier to bear the waiting. Those Borg were not governed by any Kami, not even the Q Kami of the Void. They were unnatural in every sense of the word and, therefore, no Kami would have them.

-Count? Are you alright?-

"Ah? Oh, Chris. I am just worried. That is all." He sat on the bed and was grateful, for once, for the intrusion into his bedchambers. At least Chris was a distraction. "Here, will you sit with me?"

Chris did as D asked and cuddled right up to him. -Is my brother coming home, yet? I haven't got to see him much, yet.-

It was such an innocent question. "Soon, I hope. Your brother is sick and I do not know if he will get well."

-I miss him. Is Tet-chan with him? I haven't seen him since Leon brought me back here.-

"No. Tet-chan is doing something for me. Why are you out of bed, Chris?"

-I had a nightmare. I'm okay now, though. Can I sleep with you tonight?-

D smiled and put his arm around Chris. What would he tell Chris if Leon didn't come back to them? If Leon died? On Earth this wouldn't have been worth a moment's worry. He could have healed Leon with little more than a touch. He could have saved Leon from almost any danger.

This wasn't Earth and there was nothing D could do to help anyone.

Enterprise-  
Mellow-

It was hard, controlling a ship as big as the Enterprise. Far easier to navigate subtly though the system without anyone noticing. This time, though, she didn't want the distractions of the crew trying to work around her. She needed to concentrate.

After cutting off all their power and gathering it for her use, it was very simple. She could find a way through the Borg's defenses by not trying to burst her way in. All she had to do was use their insatiable desire for information and hope that she was as strong as Jody always thought she was. Mellow kept a grip on the Enterprise's system while letting herself get dragged into the sensors of the Borg's ship. Their computers devoured information and it wasn't hard to slip in, like following the current of a river. Of course, it noticed her. The Borg's ship was as alive as the Borg themselves were, if one could call that life. The ship noticed her, but didn't think her a threat. Obviously, it had no experience with intelligent technology other than itself and didn't see her as a threat.

Mellow used the power from the Enterprise to overload various parts of the Borg Cube, parts that were vital to its survival. If they were going to affect repairs, they would have to retreat. That was the easy part. The hard part was getting out again. It was like a vacuum. The Borg Cube tried to hole her and add her into its vast database of information and Mellow had to fight harder than she had ever fought in her existence to keep herself free.

She felt her control slip and knew she'd made a mistake. The shield she'd set up around Geordi and Tet-chan dissolved, but there was nothing she could do about it while she was still trapped in the Borg's system. That little shield had taken a good deal of work, too. She had to keep it changing so the Borg couldn't adapt to it. She hoped that Tet-chan had enough time to get Geordi away to safety, or all this was just wasted effort.

She remembered Jody's sweet, gentle face. Those overlarge glasses he wore and how desperately sad he seemed sometimes. She remembered how he'd cried when she'd asked him for friends. He'd promised to be her friend and then he'd died, leaving her alone for so long. As the force of the Borg Cube pulled at her, Mellow could almost see Jody reaching out and calling to her. Jody was dead, she understood that. He wasn't coming back. But, there was another who might need her as much as Jody had needed her.

Reggie.

Mellow pulled and broke free of the Borg ship, though she knew there was something wrong. She'd been damaged in the battle to free herself. Mellow screamed in pain and wrapped her arms around herself when she felt herself back in the relative safety of the Enterprise. It hurt so badly.

Almost as an after thought, with a good deal of effort, Mellow gave control of the ship back to it's crew.

Jean-Luc-

The lights all came back on and everyone was working at their stations. "We have full control back, sir." Data reported. "Sir, the Borg Cube is retreating." Everyone looked to the screen and saw the Cube was moving away at a snail's pace. "The Cube appears to have suffered internal damage. There seems to have been several major malfunctions."

"They're gone!" Worf almost shouted from his own station. "The Borg in engineering have left and Geordi is still alive!"

Jean-Luc was far from satisfied, though the news was welcomed. "What just happened? I want answers! Who was that voice and what did it do?" A soft beep interrupted him, though he was glad to hear Geordi's voice.

"Everything all right up there?" Geordi asked, sounding breathless.

"Yes." Jean-Luc answered. "What happened down there?"

"I'm not sure, sir. The Borg beamed into engineering, but they're gone now. We've got three causalities down here. One of the Borg started coming after me and then there was a force field around me." It sounded like Geordi took a deep breath and went on. "I'm gonna need some medical help down here."

"Are you injured?"

"No, sir. Umm...there's someone with me. Not sure what he is. Not human, but not a Borg. Looks like a teenaged kid dressed like something out of the Arabian Nights. He's got horns and claws. He tried to get me to go with him through one of the Jeffery's Tubes. The force field vanished all of a sudden and the Borg came after us, again. The kid got in front of me and when the Borg fired, the kid took a blow to the chest. He's got some nasty burns."

"Kid?" Jean-Luc asked, alarmed. Damn it! This was exactly why he didn't want children on his ship!

"Yeah. Doesn't seem like he's much more than a teenager. Wait, he's coming around. Ah! Hey, wait!" The exclamation took everyone by surprise.

"Mr. Worf, get security down there." Jean-Luc snapped. "Geordi?"

"I'm fine, sir. The kid just took off running."

"Sir," Data said. "Our sensors do not detect anyone with Geordi. According to sensors, there was no one with him at all. That is most likely the result of damage the ship has taken. It will take several days to complete repairs."

Jean-Luc looked around his bridge and took stock. He had one crewman laying on the floor, unconscious, and several people sporting injuries. He had fallen when the Borg had first attacked and his knee was throbbing painfully. Hopefully, nothing more than a strain. God knew Beverly was going to be overwhelmed in Sickbay, she didn't need him as a patient on top of everything.

"Set course back to Actura IV." They could start repairs there and find ensign Barns. "Find that boy and keep a watch out for the Borg, if they should attack again. Mr. Data can you find the source of that voice? What happened to us back there?"

Data's fingers ran over his station's controls rapidly and even he looked mildly surprised by what he found. "It seems the voice came from inside the ship's systems. It is a virus. A very sophisticated virus."

Jean-Luc glowered. "Where did this virus come from?"

"I have tracked it to Lieutenant Barclay's quarters, but I can not seem to find it, now. It has hidden itself within his personal computer system, sir."

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Barclay?" Jean-Luc had no idea what was going on. Mr. Barclay was the very last person he would ever think of when he tried to think of someone who might put a malicious virus into the ship's computers. The man was so timid it was hard to understand why he'd ever joined Starfleet in the first place.

The computer's normal voice replied, "Lieutenant Barclay is not on the Enterprise."

to be continued...

one chapter to go, dear readers. Thanks so much for all the reviews. I really appreciate it.

Some of you are probably wondering why I put in that whole flashback about Tet-chan's sister. I have a very good reason for doing it. I wanted to. Isn't that the best reason of all? I've always wondered about Tet-chan's family.

In case anyone is wondering, all Leon's flashbacks and waking dreams are (mostly) taken from the Petshop of Horrors manga. I suppose most of you have figured that out by now, huh? Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone's wondering. 


	14. Daydreams

How Long Love Chapter 14: Daydreams

Enterprise-  
Captain Picard-

"We'll get back to Actura IV at a crawl, sir." First officer, William Riker sat stiffly at the conference table to give Jean-Luc the bad news. "There was a good deal of damage during the attack, so we'll be a couple of hours before we can get there."

Jean-Luc nodded, thoughtfully. He'd calmed down considerably since hearing that he'd lost two of his crew. One of them, ensign Barns, was definitely on Actura IV. There were several witnesses who'd seen him running away from their temporary base. Lieutenant Barclay was a bit more of a mystery, though. While ensign Barns had obviously been ill, though they didn't know the nature of his illness, Mr. Barclay was perfectly healthy, as far as anyone knew. In fact, this was the first time in months had Jean-Luc had even heard Mr. Barclay's name.

"We'll be able to find Reg's signal and beam him directly on board, I'm not worried about that. But ensign Barns threw his communicator away. We found it just before we came on board." Doctor Beverly Crusher looked deeply worried with her hands folded before her on the table. "Ensign Barns is seriously ill and I don't know what's wrong with him. I've gone over the readings I took from him, but it makes very little sense. I caught traces of some kind of chemical in his system, but nothing that should have any real affect on his behavior or thought process. Vetium is a minor sedative. For goodness sakes, I use it on children for little scrapes!" She threw her hands up and let them fall to her lap with a disgruntled sigh. "His health records were clean, perfectly normal, and he was fine when we went down to the planet. The only thing I can think of is that he caught something while on the planet, but no one else has been acting odd symptoms and the colonist have never reported any disease like this."

"Then perhaps he wasn't sick." Mr. Worf said, leaning back in his chair and still looking more than a little unhappy. At the best of times, Mr. Worf didn't look happy, but now, right after a battle with the infamous Borg and after losing two men on a planet, he was decidedly cross. "A painkiller is not enough to affect someone's reason. Perhaps, he knew what he was doing. He deliberately discarded his communicator and does not wish to be found."

Beverly frowned at him, almost angry. It wasn't hard for her to get angry. and she could go from peaceful to livid at a moment's notice. "You saw him, how can you say that?! He was obviously ill."

"Yet, you found nothing wrong with him. He was in perfect health." One of Mr. Worf's troubles, was that he took things far to personally. If one of the officers under his command made a mistake, it shamed him. If one of them went so far as to deliberately break a Starfleet regulation, then he was likely to kill the offender and then himself. That ensign Barns had intentional abandoned his communicator and run away from his superior officers, right before a battle, no less, showed Mr. Worf that ensign Barns wasn't fit to be rescued. In Mr. Worf's mind, the failure of one of his people, was his failure. "The decision was his to make."

Beverly scowled. "There's more to illness than just physical illness. Deanna...Deanna?"

But Deanna Troi wasn't paying attention. She was staring at the tabletop and obviously deep in her own thoughts. "Sorry." Deanna said when she realized everyone was waiting for her. "Just...we know Reg left the ship. The only place he could have gone was to Actura IV, right? I saw him just a short while before the mission began. He was...er...with ensign Barns. Neither of them were acting at all peculiar. In fact, they were in very good moods. Reggie was very talkative and more confident than I've ever seen him." She paused. "I don't believe Reg just ran away. He went after ensign Barns."

Jean-Luc looked at her sharply. Deanna's insight was nearly flawless and he tended to believe her hunches more than most people's facts. Still, that begged the question of how. "I didn't even know ensign Barns was missing until the Borg were upon us, minutes after the away team returned without ensign Barns. How did Mr. Barclay know that ensign Barns was still on Actura IV?"

Deanna shook her head. "I don't have any answer, sir. But I believe it's true. They were very close. It's not impossible that Reggie was keeping an eye out and he noticed that ensign Barns didn't come back with the away team."

Riker looked doubtful. "I'm not even sure Reg could do something like that. He's the most incompetent engineer I've ever seen. I don't even know how he made it into Starfleet, let alone get promotions. If nothing else, he's an unmitigated coward and I can't see him going down to an unknown planet alone, right in the middle of an attack."

"You're still upset about that whole holodeck incident, aren't you?" Deanna couldn't quite hide a little smirk.

"You aren't?!" Riker's eyes looked ready to pop out of his head.

Deanna sniffed and gave him a superior grin. "A man made me the object of his ultimate desire and obviously thinks of me as a goddess. I have nothing to be insulted about. You on the other hand..."

"Right! Right! Let's stop there. The point is, Reg doesn't have the courage or the know-how to do something like this. We didn't even notice he was missing until after the attack was over. It's more likely that the Borg took him."

"Why him and no one else, then?" Deanna countered. "Everyone is accounted for, except Reg and ensign Barns. I know they are extremely close to each other. The ship's sensors detected no Borg near where Reggie should have been. It's much easier to think that Reggie was keeping and eye out for ensign Barns and..."

"And what?" Riker interrupted. "He rushed to the rescue? You're seriously trying to tell me that Barclay dropped everything, with the red alert sounding, and ran off like a knight in shining armor?" Riker gave a barking laugh. "You think he managed to find an empty transporter room and beamed himself down to the planet? All in the space of roughly three minutes? It's just not possible. An inept man like Barclay..."

"Commander," Geordi spoke quietly, as he usually did. "That's the second time you've questioned Mr. Barclay's competence. I don't suggest a third. You don't know the man and you don't know what's hidden in his head. Reg is a genius. I believe Deanna if she says he found a way to get to the planet."

"A genius?" Riker looked surprised. "Barclay?"

"I've seen some of his work. You know, he takes care of monitoring certain operations in the ship. It's a low level responsibility job, any ensign could do it. The only thing is, Reg takes them all on at once. His station runs at double time, giving readings for four different operations at once. To top it off, we haven't had any issues with any of the operations he monitors since he started. It's easy enough for him to do it, but he also works on other things while he's doing it. He would be watching the monitors while typing on a handheld computer. I caught a glimpse of it, once. It seems that he's trying to double the efficiency of the food dispensers."

"The food dispensers?"

"Yup. He thinks there's a great need for them on long range expeditions and military vessels. Don't take Reg lightly. He knows what he's doing." Geordi thought for a moment, tilting his face slightly upwards. "He could have rigged the transporter for a delayed signal. That's not really all that difficult. He's a master multi-tasker, he could have been monitoring while watching to see if ensign Barns returned...no. That's not right. He wasn't on duty when they came back. He'd have been watching the signals from the transporter room from his quarters."

"You're still forgetting the fact about Barclay's courage, or lack therefore."

"I think you're seriously underestimating him, Will." Deanna was shaking her head, very sure of herself. "Reg isn't a coward. He..." She stopped. "Anything more would be a violation of confidentiality. Sufficed to say, he isn't a coward. He's just unsure."

The argument over Mr. Barclay's good qualities was interesting, Jean-Luc had never head anyone speak so highly of the man before and he liked it now that he did, but he had to break it up. "What has lieutenant Barclay got to do with the fish?"

Riker gave him a puzzled look. "Sir?"

"That...fish thing. The one that took over the ship. Do you think Mr. Barclay is responsible for it?" It seemed incredibly unlikely. He just couldn't imagine someone like Reginald Barclay creating a program that could take over the entire ship and then vanishing. Even considering Geordi's recent revelations about Mr. Barclay, it seemed very unlikely. "It was traced to his quarter's terminal, but vanished after that. I'd like to know if this virus is still active and affecting our systems. Will it take control of us again and not be so benevolent?"

"Everything's running normally, sir." Geordi assured Jean-Luc. "We're just slow because of the damage from the attack. There hasn't been even a blip from the fish."

"No sign of the kistune, either, sir." Worf grumbled, unhappily. That had been a major sore spot for him ever since the appearance of the fox creature. To make it worse, Q hadn't returned with any snide comments or thinly veiled threats, which was quite unlike him. Jean-Luc had been on edge for far too long and it was destroying his nerves.

Again, Deanna spoke up for Mr. Barclay. "It's possible that it's just coincidence that the fish went back to Reg's quarters, isn't it?"

"Possible, yes." Geordi answered. "But not very likely. It's one Hell of a coincidence, if it is. Just the fact that we haven't been able to track it any further than Reg's computer makes me nervous. It's lurking in there and we can't find it." He turned to Jean-Luc with a thoughtful set of his mouth. "Don't think of this as a crime, yet, sir. Whatever that virus is, it saved us. Somehow, it chased the Borg away. They were heavily damaged and if Reg is responsible, that fish could be the best weapon against the Borg the Federation could have asked for."

Riker raised an eyebrow and looked doubtful. "He still shouldn't have loaded a virus into the ship's computer, Geordi. Regardless of the effect it ended up having. The big question is: are we even going to find them?" He looked around at everyone, but rested his eyes on Jean-Luc. "We have to face the fact that the Borg might have taken Reg. They were after Geordi, we know that for a fact. If they'd gotten access to our computers, then they might have known that Reg is also an engineer. When they couldn't get Geordi, they probably went for the next engineer on the list."

"Speaking of which," Geordi spoke up again. "Has anyone heard news about that kid that saved me?"

"I think we're going to have to lump him in with Q's pet kitsune running around somewhere, but we just can't find them. why Q would save you, I'm not sure." Jean-Luc had too many things to think about. "Add this mysterious boy to the security alert, Mr. Worf." Other than that, there was very little they could do. The boy had run away as soon as the Borg had vanished. Obviously an alien creature, from Geordi's description, but one that could speak English and saved the life of one of Jean-Luc's precious crew.

This was a bad situation all around and Jean-Luc was so tempted to lay the blame for everything that had happened in the past few days squarely on Q's shoulders. He couldn't, though. This really wasn't Q's style. Not enough danger and far too much mystery. No. Q would have loudly announced his challenge to the Enterprise crew and made sure they knew exactly how much danger they were in. All this floundering around in the dark just wasn't like Q.

"We will assume that lieutenant Barclay in on Actura IV, from lack of other evidence. If we fail to find him there, then we will mount a rescue. It is conceivable that when the Borg failed to get Geordi, they might have gone after another engineer." He didn't say what he worst feared. That if they didn't find Mr. Barclay on Actura IV, then there was little hope for him. From his own nightmarish experience, Jean-Luc knew what anyone captured by the Borg would face. Jean-Luc would kill Mr. Barclay himself if there was no hope of saving him. Better to die than to live like that. "How long until we reach Actura IV?"

"Four hours and twenty eight minutes, sir." Mr. Data answered, precisely. "Several parts of the ship were damaged in the attack."

Jean-Luc nodded, still not happy. "Let's get there as soon as possible."

Actura IV-  
Leon-

He could still see Reggie, but he saw other things, too. Things as well as people.

They were all looking at him, but not all of them had faces as kind as Reggie's. There were men he didn't recognize and a girl with short hair who hated him. There was Mr. Goti and Leon felt his stomach twist in fear. Mr. Goti was smiling as sweetly as he always did. An angel's smile with devil horns. Leon was walking down the hallway of Mr. Goti's Children's Home, following Mr. Goti on the first day he'd arrived. Everything was exactly the same and Leon found himself wondering if maybe it was real. Maybe all that stuff about Reggie, the Enterprise, and Starfleet was all just a dream.

"Leon, are you day dreaming again?" Jill nudged him in the ribs and he refocused on the road. "Jeeze, if you're going to insist on driving, then at least pay attention. If you keep this up, I'll insist on driving and you can bitch all you want. Your car smells like cigarettes, too. Didn't you to quite , yet?" She leaned back, though, and pulled out her gun, making sure it was loaded and the safety was on. "Ya know, you're actin' kinda spacey lately. Everything okay with you and the Count?" She laughed and flipped her curly hair out of her eyes. "Don't look at me like that! I can see what's happening, even if you don't want to admit it. How many other cops take their suspects boxes of candy every day?"

Damn it, Jill. Do you have to be so smug about the whole thing?

Someone was talking to him and Leon felt his attention shift away from Jill. He was staring up at an ugly night sky with two moons and Reggie was looking down at him. Reggie wasn't talking, though. He was just watching Leon and occasionally watched the sky, nervously.

Voices filled Leon's ears, but nothing really distinct. It was like a dull buzz, like a swarm of bees. Some of the voices were angry with him, but that really couldn't be helped. They did bad things, so Leon didn't care if they were angry or not. The man who killed Leon's dad was angry because Leon had kill him. The girl was angry because Leon had put her boyfriend in jail. There were other voices, hundreds. Brilliant swirls of color and flashes of light so bright that Leon thought it might blind him. He was overwhelmed, the colors and light drowning out Reggie's face and the moons above. The brilliance gave way to a fearsome darkness that seeped despair into Leon's soul before withdrawing to let the light in again.

Mom.

Leon remembered seeing her in waking dreams, but she seemed even clearer now. The laugh lines around her mouth and her merry eyes. She had always been so gentle and her dry, calloused hands had been warm. He remembered fishing in the creek just outside their small cabin and bringing back some fish for dinner. Mom had been so proud and they ate royally that night.

They'd been poor, but not really. They had food and a roof over their heads. While the food was sparse and the roof often leaked, it was a happy childhood. His first one, anyway. Filled with love, hugs, and bedtime stories. Their home in the mountains was comfortable and clean, as good as any mansion in Leon's opinion.

"Leon! Look at you, laying in the mud." Leon's mom chastised, though she smiled with amusement. "You've got to get going. It's almost time for school and it's such a long walk. Were you playing cops and robbers, again? Isn't that hard to play all on your own?"

Leon felt pleasantly warm all over, but he was pretty sure it was just a memory. He was happy, anyway. To finally know what his mom looked like was a wonderful feeling of peace. She was perfect and he looked just like her. Now he knew where he got his eyes. She smelled like fresh grass, Leon took a deep breath and let the scent fill him. It wasn't that he just saw her for the first time. Seeing her was like opening a door in his memory. How could he have forgotten?  
"You're confused." Mr. Goti was smiling at him, too, but it wasn't a comforting smile. Leon knew that smile was nothing but a mask. He smelled like disinfectant and the smell made Leon want to throw up. The cold, sterile life of endless testing and experiments was far less pleasant. "This isn't real, Leon. You're deluding yourself. Living in a dream world is no way to live. You have to face reality."

Why? Leon didn't want to face reality, if it had Mr. Goti in it. What was wrong with living in a dream? His dreams had mom and Jill and Leon felt so happy when he was with them. Besides, he couldn't really decide what was real and what was dream. Reggie was looking down at him again, his forehead wrinkled with worry.

"I tried to warn you. You were always so damned stubborn."

Leon had listened. He always listened to Reggie, but it was so hard to do what was right. This was what happened when he couldn't have the meds and now he was seeing too many faces all at once and everyone was trying to talk to him. Couldn't they be quiet for just a minute? They'd all started out as just a background buzz, but now it was a roar in his ears and Leon couldn't even hear his mother's voice anymore.

Chris' hand was cold in Leon's the first morning when he'd brought Chris to the petshop and into D's care. It had been such a rush job to find Chris a place. Hell, he hadn't even known that he was getting Chris until a couple of hours before the plane had landed and Chris, pale and silent, had been led off by a friendly fight attendant. He had to go to work or risk losing his job and at such short notice, who was he supposed to turn to? D had sprung to mind and Leon, as he always did, trusted his instincts. That Leon had heard Chris' voice just before Chris was supposed to be sent to the asylum, Leon gave credit to D and he was forever after grateful.

-Big brother?-

'Chris? Are you crying? Shit. Don't cry. Hell, D's gonna yell when he finds out I swore in front of you. Damn it, I did it again. Come on...don't cry. It's not like anyone's dying, are they? Am I?'

-Leon, I miss you. You promised to come to the school for parent's night. Aren't you coming?- Chris put on a brave face, just like Leon had known he would do. -It's all right. I know you're busy and your work's important. Don't worry about me. I'll ask the Count, instead. If he's busy, I just won't go.-

Leon reached up and touched Chris' cheek. How long had it been since he'd seen Chris? Years, it seemed. 'I wanted to go. Didn't your teacher need to me about something? Your math grades, I think. Sorry. I think I missed it. Wasn't that a long time ago?' Chris had been apart of the other life, too. Chris and D and mom. Jill was sitting next to Reggie and looked disapproving with her arms crossed over her chest, muttering about what a fool Leon was to get himself into this kind of fix. She was trying not to cry.

The voices stopped and Leon could hear nothing. There wasn't even any wind, though it was cold. So cold that Leon could feel his flesh crawling and he was still shivering. He thought it might be best if he got up and started moving. That's what one was supposed to do when it go cold. He didn't move but rolled slightly, mainly to get away from the smell of his own vomit. There was little to look at in the sky and, besides, it was sort of nice to be alone. If he could just close his eyes and sleep for a little while maybe everything would be alright

'He shot me. That little punk kid.' Leon saw it as clear as day. D had run out to get a new outfit and Leon was minding the shop. He'd been making dinner when he'd heard a noise from the front room and gone out to find the teenager with the gun. The animals were creeping into the front room the strange fox. 'Oh.' Leon almost felt like laughing. 'Guess that's what the security alert was about. They saw Ten-chan.' It made a lot of sense, all of a sudden. 'And D's on the ship and that really was Chris I found with counselor Troi.' They were alive and as soon as he got back to the Enterprise, they could all be together again.

"Whatever possessed you, Leon? Why did you drink so much?" D sounded almost amused, but he also sounded kind of sad. Strangely, Leon couldn't see him. "Do you not know what it does to you? You always act so foolish when you are not in control and I thought you hated that."

'Wasn't drinking this time. Just...sick. Everything hurts. Where are you?' Hadn't he just been with Leon? Yes. He'd gone away just when Reggie had found Leon. Leon almost smiled, he would have if his face hadn't hurt quite so much. It was good to hear D's voice again.

"I am waiting for you. We're all waiting for you."

D wasn't an illusion and he wasn't someone new. Leon had known him for a very long time. Leon had died defending his home and his family. He was proud to have died like that. The petshop in Chinatown and D's habit of overdosing on sweets of any kind. Those frighteningly long fingernails always painted dark purple. He remembered every detail of their life tighter. Wasn't it funny how Leon only remembered now when everything else seemed to be falling apart? No. Maybe funny wasn't quite right. Tragic...

PAIN!

Enterprise-  
D-

D paced through the front room of his petshop, wringing his hands with nervous tension. He had watched Tet-chan's adventure and felt so miserably helpless when there was nothing he could do to protect his dear Tet-chan. Soon, after much worry on D's part, the doors opened and Tet-chan slunk in with one arm held protectively against his chest.

Tet-chan moved slowly, awkwardly. He was breathing hard and looked pale. "Master." Tet-chan fairly sighed when his eyes met D's. "Hurts." With that, he stumbled as he took a step closer to D and nearly fell. He caught himself, though, and pulled himself upright, proudly. "Forgive me for coming back without permission, master. I will go back later, but I wasn't sure I could keep my guise intact. There is little to report now. The ship is in disrepair and confusion and the humans are trying to repair it. Mellow can tell you more than I." He tried for another step and this time his knees gave out on him. He landed with a thud and a sharp cry of pain.

"Tet-chan, won't you let me help you?" D gave Tet-chan very little choice, though. He was at his dear Tet-chan's side almost before Tet-chan hit the floor. The smell of burnt flesh was making the air heavy and it occurred to D that this was the first time he'd ever seen Tet-chan so injured, at least since Tet-chan had started living in the petshop. He hadn't smelled Tet-chan's blood since their first meeting where Leon had shot Tet-chan in the hand to save D. D put his arms around Tet-chan and lifted him easily.

"Master, I can walk..."

"Barely and not well at the moment. Let me pamper you for a bit." Tet-chan was a savage killer and a proud hunter, but he was still very small. Not even half as big as many of D's pets, Tet-chan was easy to carry. Through the petshop they went, collecting the attention of many of the other pets. D regretted that. Tet-chan was something of an authority amongst the pets and it would worry them to see Tet-chan hurt. Still, there was no help for it. "You shall rest in my chambers, Tet-chan." Tet-chan looked shocked and started to protest, but D forestalled him. "Chris is already there and this will make it easier for me to watch both of you."

"Yes, master." Tet-chan was breathing hard. "Have you heard from Mellow? She hasn't spoken to me since the attack. I thought she would."

"No." D held Tet-chan a little tighter. Now he had another pet to worry for. "She has not yet returned." Chris was still sleeping soundly in D's bed, nearly buried under several layers of blankets. It was a trick Tet-chan had told D, once. When Chris was upset or worried, as he was when Leon had left, he could only sleep if he was covered in enough layers of blankets to make him feel confined. Tet-chan said it gave Chris comfort. D helped Tet-chan to lay down on the bed, though Tet-chan looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Let me see your injuries. Move your arm."

D bit back a hiss at the sight of Tet-chan's wounds. They were like burns, but didn't seem to be healing. The fastest cure was Kami blood and D wasn't stingy when it came to his pets. He used a sharp fingernail to slice open the palm of his hand. When blood oozed out of his hand, D pressed his hand against Tet-chan's chest. The blood smeared against the wound and Tet-chan threw his head back with the odd sensation. He didn't cry out, but he looked as if he wanted to.

"Forgive me, Tet-chan." D put a hand to Tet-chan's face and took the pain away. "I did not expect you to get injured. All I wished was for you to watch what was going on."

Tet-chan barked a laugh, though it made him flinch from the pain. "I didn't expect to get injured. 'Sides, who else would you have sent to do it? We need that human alive." He yawned and relaxed his whole body. "You did something to me, master. You made me all sleepy?"

"No. You just need sleep. Try to rest."

Tet-chan was stubborn, though, and forced himself to his feet. "Uh-un. I won't take your bed, master. I'll take Chris back to bed and stay with him. Just give me a few hours and I'll have my strength back and I'll go back. Find out what's happening with Leo...that human of yours. I'll try to find out about Mellow, too." While he spoke, Tet-chan went around to the other side of the bed and started to pick up Chris.

"You don't have to leave, Tet-chan."

"I want to sleep under my own bed and Chris doesn't have to sleep with you for every nightmare." He held Chris gently and started out. Just as he was at the door Chris woke up and looked over Tet-chan's shoulder.

-Count? Is my brother back, yet?-

"Soon. He is working, now."

Chris nodded trustingly and settled back down into Tet-chan's arms. As they left, D heard Chris tell Tet-chan, -Where have you been? I missed you.-

Whatever Tet-chan answered, D didn't hear. At least Tet-chan was home and healing. That was one less worry. Mellow and, more importantly, Leon were both still missing. 'If I had known this would happen, I never would have exiled Leon to that planet. I should have expected this kind of disaster. I should have kept him here. I could have locked him in one of the rooms. He wouldn't have been able to hurt himself or get out. I should have kept him here!'

D was mentally beating himself for his foolish choice when his bedroom was lit by an otherworldly light.

The phoenix appeared in all of her glory, radiating light and power of the likes that most humans would never be fortunate enough to see. She was no longer in the guise of the crow, but superb in her true form, draping silk flowing over her tall body. "I will leave, now."

D stepped away from his bed, unable to keep the eagerness off his face. "Then..."

The phoenix nodded with her teasing, arrogant smile. "His memories have returned, though they are clouded. He now knows everything that had been taken from him and he understands, for the most part. Many things he will always be confused about, even if you try to explain. He is still not completely healed, but there is nothing I can do for his mind or body." She gave a strangely respectful bow and D was taken aback. He'd never seen a phoenix bow to anyone. "He is yours, now. Protect him and care for him." Her eyes twinkled. "I believe I understand why you have waited for him for so long. There is something endearingly about that human. For all of his weakness; his temper, his fear, and his anger, he is yet strong. He loves life." She turned away from D. "He is in your care, now that I have returned him to you. My promise to you is fulfilled. Tell Leon his Jill said goodbye. I will miss him." Then she was gone.

For a long moment, D stared at where the phoenix had been. "And now we are on our own, my lion." D whispered to the darkness, though he knew Leon would not hear his voice. "Just come back. Come back to me and everything will be fine. We will go back to Earth and I will protect you for the rest of your life. I will make you so happy."

D hated waiting. There was nothing at all D could do to protect Leon and he was long overdue to return to the ship. Perhaps the resident Kami were responsible for bringing those Borg things around, just to upset D's plans with Leon. It wasn't impossible, especially as how G had been treated on her first visit to Earth. Papa D had treated her very rudely and D wondered if she held a grudge. Was she so petty that she would find pleasure in hurting Leon because of what happened hundreds of years ago?

'Why not? I would.' If he had the chance to get his hands on the boy who'd killed Leon, he would have gotten great satisfaction in exacting his revenge. If his darling pets hadn't been so enthusiastic in their own revenge, then he might have even kept the boy alive for a few years while he worked out his anger. Still, he couldn't fault his pets for eating the offender. It was one of the perks for his predators, the privilege of defending their home. Revenge was on a grand scale when one did something to anger a being who could literally hold a grudge for near eternity.

For now, though, D was pleased that there was no obvious interference. All he wanted was Leon back where he belonged.

Actura IV-  
Leon-

For a long time Leon's mind drifted aimlessly between thoughts and memories or maybe between dreams and reality. He wasn't really sure of anything at that point. Walking down bleach white halls between Reggie and Deirdre, driving an old, noisy car down the smoggy streets of LA. Watching the beautiful spirit musicians with D while the sakura blossoms fell. What was real?

Pain came again. He couldn't think for a long time and it felt like he had a dozen snakes in his belly, all writhing around trying to escape It felt like one of the snakes was slithering up his throat and Leon threw up. At least it was a bit of color. Leon almost laughed at the thought. Color...in the night...in a god forsaken ugly planet who's primal color seemed to be beige. Ugly. He wouldn't mind dying, if he could just die someplace a little nicer. Maybe a tree or two.

Reggie-

Leon had long since stopped talking. He had stopped moving and was so still that several times Reggie had to press his fingers against Leon's throat to see if he was still alive. It seemed very wrong for Leon to just be staring up at the night sky. He barely blinked and only very rarely did Leon even twitch. He didn't even seem to notice when the rain started falling or when Reggie pulled off his shirt to cover up Leon's face. The rain didn't last long, but when it stopped the night seemed all the more bitter. Leon's skin was a funny color, almost blue. He was shaking, but that could have been another effect of withdrawal. All the while, Leon just stared upward, lost in his own mind.

Reggie didn't bother to put his shirt back on, there seemed to be little point as it was soaking wet. Instead, he tossed his shirt aside and gave it up for lost. He was already so cold and now both of them were splattered with mud from the torrential downpour. Where there had been only bare desert moments before, now there was mud and large puddles of water. It was so bad that Reggie had to drag Leon out of a puddle and find a higher place for him to rest.

He lost track of time, but it really didn't seem to matter. This was as far gone as he'd ever seen Leon, on the rare occasions he'd seen Leon without the drug. Reggie knew he was going to lose Leon. There really wasn't any doubt about it, anymore. It seemed unlikely that anyone would be able to help Leon at this point, even if the Enterprise did make it back in time.

"I tried." Reggie said, not bothering to keep his voice low. "I did. You know I did...I hope you know. I tried to warn you. You were always so damned stubborn. I know I'm not the best person to give advice, but couldn't you listen? Just once?" Reggie patted Leon's forehead, pushing the damp hair away from his face. Reggie found himself wishing he still had his phasor so he could start a fire for Leon and warm him up a bit. He didn't dare leave Leon long enough to go find it. Besides, they were in the middle of a desert and there was nothing to burn. "All it would have taken was one little trip to a doctor. Any doctor, really. Doctor Crusher is really nice, too. I'm sure you'd have liked her."

Leon blink and moaned deep in his throat, his brow creasing for a moment. His hands reached up, as if he were reaching for the sky.

"Leon? Leon, can you hear me?" Reggie tried to keep himself from getting too excited, but this was the first movement Leon had done in hours. He gingerly took one of Leon's hands, but Leon didn't respond at all. It was as if he was alone in his own little world, completely separated from Reggie and the real world. "Please, Leon..."

There was no answer and Leon's hand was limp in Reggie's. When Leon's other arm dropped and fell Reggie reluctantly lay down Leon's other hand, carefully placing it on Leon's chest. It was just like every time. Leon would behave as if he saw and heard things that just weren't there and Leon had never able to tell him when he woke up.

Leon's face twisted and his body tensed when pain hit him again. All Reggie could do was hold Leon's hand in support, though he doubted Leon even knew he was there.

There was a familiar and unwelcome feeling of being separated and Reggie found himself on the floor of sickbay surrounded by not only doctor Crusher, but counselor Troi and two security officers. "Oh, hello." Reggie didn't let go of Leon's hand, even when doctor Crusher moved to kneel next to them.

"Go get some dry clothes, Mr. Barclay." Doctor Crusher said, sourly. "I don't know what you think you were doing, but get yourself cleaned up while I work on him. You've got a lot of explaining to do. The captain's waiting for you."

Reggie started laughing as he felt himself starting to lose control. Now there was hope. Leon might actually survive. "Then the captain's just going to have to wait, isn't he? I'm not leaving Leon." He kept his eyes on Leon, but he was sure everyone was staring at him. "Forgive me. It's been a long night." He couldn't seem to stop laughing. In fact, he was laughing so hard that he almost didn't notice Deanna beside him until she put a hand on his arm.

"Reg, what happened down there?" She asked, softly.

"A little storm. A strange woman took my phasor. My only friend's dying." The laughter choked in Reggie's throat. "Dying." He raised a hand to his mouth, trying to stifle himself when he realized he was rambling.

"Reg..." Deanna got no further when Leon started to shake and this time it was much more than just the unpleasant shivering he'd been doing for hours. This time Leon's head jerked roughly to the side, catching both doctor Crusher and Reggie off guard. Leon's eyes seemed to focus, just for a moment, on something behind Reggie, though Reggie knew there was nothing there. Leon's left arm shuddered so badly that he hit Reggie in the leg. That arm jerked again and then the right, nearly hitting doctor Crusher's tricorder. Then Leon vomited, spraying himself and almost everyone else with it when he jerked upward.

"Turn his head, he's having a stroke!" Doctor Crusher shouted, which started off a flurry of activity and Reggie finally let go of Leon's hand, backing away enough for the medical team to do their work. If they could save Leon, he'd give anything. "Neuro-pathways are severely corrupted. He's going into pulmonary failure!" She looked over her shoulder at Mr. O'Brien. "Beam us to sick bay, now!"

Leon and doctor Crusher vanished in a glittering mass, leaving Reggie on his knees with Deanna lightly patting his arm and Mr. Worf looking angrily down at him. All the while, Reggie couldn't stop laughing. This was it.

"Reg, it's all right. Don't worry." Deanna moved so she could look at Reggie's face and he could see the concern for him in her eyes. "Beverly will do everything she can and you know she's an excellent doctor. I'm sure it'll help if you tell us what's going on."

"Don't call me Reg." Reggie squeezed his eyes tightly together. He hated being called Reg. Mr. Goti and Miss Forth called him Reg. "My name's Reggie."

"Oh...all right. Reggie."

"I want to see Leon. I have to be with him in the end."

"Don't be pessimistic. He'll be just fine, Reggie." Deanna slipped her arm over his shoulders. "You must have hope."

"Hopes and dreams...this is reality. Isn't that what you're always telling me? We must focus on reality. Leon will die." Reggie shrugged Deanna's hands off his shoulder and stood up abruptly with his face set. "I'll make my statement about what I did, but I want to do it in sickbay. I have to be with him."

to be continued... 


	15. Eternity

How Long Love Chapter 15: Eternity

D-

Not much time had passed since Leon had last left the petshop, though it felt like eons. D hated not knowing what was going on with Leon. Hated it even more knowing how much danger Leon was in and that he could do nothing. He'd meant to get some sleep, but that had turned out to be impossible. His mind was too alive with worry. So D stood in the doorway of Chris' bedroom and was pleased to see Chris fast asleep with a pile of blankets heaped upon him and Tet-chan tucked in beside him. Despite what Tet-chan had said before, he hadn't crawled under Chris' bed but was neatly cuddled up next to Chris. What surprised D more than that was the sight of Pon-Chan sitting in a rocking chair in the corner watching them both with glittering eyes.

"Why are you still awake, Pon-chan? It is quite late. You must be tired."

Pon-chan looked at Chris and Tet-chan. "I'm glad they're back. I was worried. I don't like it when everyone leaves. When's Leon coming home? You said soon, right? Chris was so happy when he found Leon. If Leon doesn't come back, I'm afraid of what will happen to Chris."

"No matter what happens, we will take care of him." D assured the tiny girl. She wasn't so tiny, anymore. As the years had passed, so had Pon-chan's childhood. Once she reached adulthood, like Tet-chan and Ten-chan, she would stop physically aging, but when Chris had gone to sleep she was still a child. Now, she was a young lady dressed in a long gown with her curly hair pinned up on her head in an elegant fashion. She was taller and looked about to be the human age of fifteen. "My Pon-chan, have you let Chris see you since he has woken up?"

Pon-chan looked away. "I would look so old to him, I think. He wouldn't want to play with me anymore. I couldn't ride on his shoulders anymore. I'm much too big."

"Pon-chan, Chris would still care for you even if your hair was gray with age and your back bent from years."

"Yes. I know." But she didn't move. "I think I'll just watch him for now."

D left her like that. It was best that she sort this sort of thing out to her best satisfaction and there was nothing he could say that would make her feel any better about the situation. She had grown up while Chris slept. He'd almost closed the doors when Ten-chan appeared, not quite smiling. "Evening, boss. I heard Tet was back with us. Some of the others said he didn't look too good when he came in."

"He had been injured, but is healing now. He is with Chris and Pon-chan if you wish to see him."

"Thanks, boss. I think I will." He breezed passed D, dropping his filthy apron on his way into Chris' room. D shook his head. He'd never expected two creatures like Tet-chan and Ten-chan to become so close. It was good that they were close, though. Both were from very rare species and it was hard for them to find people to talk to.

The petshop seemed very quiet as D walked through the halls.

The knowledge that Leon was back on the ship hit D like lightening, shocking him to his toes. Leon was back, but he was in danger. He was sick and dying. How D knew this, he wasn't sure. After all, his power didn't extend outside the petshop. Still, he knew. D hurried out of his petshop as quickly as he could, heading for where he knew Leon would be.

Sickbay-  
Reggie-

"Tell me everything, Reg." Doctor Crusher looked fit to be tied. Her face was pale and her lips pressed thinly together. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

Leon had been stabilized and was resting in sickbay. Though he was still disturbingly quiet and did nothing but stare at the ceiling, occasionally blinking. Leon looked better now that he was warm, dry, and clean, but he still didn't look well. Reggie was calmer. His fit of laughter had vanished, thankfully, and now he sat next to Leon and was again holding his hand. No one had said anything to Reggie since he'd walked into sickbay, though the guards were a little hard to miss. Well, he hadn't really expected anything different. Why they hadn't thrown him in the brig yet, Reggie had no idea. He was just grateful. Not that they'd get him away from Leon without a fight.

Reggie couldn't meet her eyes. "I couldn't. It wasn't my place."

"Wasn't your place?" Doctor Crusher sounded strangled and her nostrils flared. "He's dying! You know that better than anyone! How could you do this to him?" Of course doctor Crusher knew about Reggie's history. He'd been honest when he'd joined the Enterprise and she had all his medical records. She was the only one, in fact, that knew anything about his past.

Reggie tensed and curled his fingers around Leon's hand just a little tighter. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." She put a hand on his shoulder and Reggie jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped. "How long have you known me? You know I don't like being touched!" Didn't anyone ever pay attention to him?

"Just tell me, Reg. Please. Tell me everything. Do you know what he was taking? There's a chemical in his system and it's pretty deep. It's infused into his cells, he must have been under it's influence for a very long time." She waited for an answer and when Reggie said nothing she nearly begged. "Reg, let me save him!"

Deanna was standing unobtrusively a short distance away. She watched everything carefully and didn't say a word. It wasn't until the captain arrived that Deanna spoke and she spoke to him so quietly that Reggie couldn't tell what they were saying.

When the captain walked in with a glare fit to kill, he spared a glance at Reggie before he went straight to doctor Crusher and they stepped away from Reggie to speak quietly for a short time while doctor Crusher analyzed this and that from the scans she'd taken of Leon. Deanna said something softly, causing Picard to look sharply at Reggie and then back at Deanna.

"You know what happened to him, don't you?"

Reggie looked up and found the captain standing at his side. He wasn't glaring quite so furiously as Reggie had expected him to, but he certainly didn't look pleased. Captain Picard intimidated Reggie to no end. He was terrified of the man. There was something horrible about the captain and Reggie strongly suspected that it was the captain's own self confidence that frightened him. It couldn't have been anything physical. Picard had less hair than Reggie and was almost a full six inches shorter. He had a sharp, hooked nose and small eyes.

"Yes, sir." Reggie answered, honestly. As much as he wanted to protect Leon, the best thing to do now was to tell the truth.

"Then you tell me what the Hell's going on and why I shouldn't have you thrown in the brig."

"He's having withdrawal symptoms." Reggie swallowed, getting up the courage to do this. "He's been taking physic depressive medication since he was ten years old."

They all paled and Deanna looked at Reggie and at Leon, horrified. "Why would he need to take any kind of chemical for so long?"

"Need? I didn't say he needed it. I said he took it. We all were." Reggie shook his head. "I don't really know. It was blue pills and he took them twice a day." Reggie looked back at Leon. He really wasn't comfortable with the feeling of all those eyes on him. They seemed to think he had all the answers. He didn't. If he had all the answers, he'd have solved Leon's problems long ago. All he knew was how this had happened. "Mr. Brannon Goti operated a children's home under the guise of good will. Instead, he used us all like lab rats We were dosed up with medication nearly every day. I know people who don't even remember their adolescents." Reggie patted Leon's hand and stood up, walking away. Maybe this would be easier if he wasn't looking at Leon. "When Mr. Goti was acquitted of the charges against him, he went right on manufacturing his medications and he sent them on to Leon and anyone else who would keep taking them. They're all quite addictive, so it's not easy to stop. There were lots of others who found ways of not going through rehabilitation, like Leon."

"How many others?" Picard asked in a dreadfully quiet voice. He was looking at Leon, not at Reggie and Reggie was thankful for that. "How many other people are addicted?"

"I really don't know. Even if I did know, I'm not sure I would tell you." Picard looked at Reggie sharply, but Reggie just shrugged and looked away. "That's the way it is. Don't bother yelling at me. I tried to get Leon to go through the rehab, but he didn't want anything to do with it. It wasn't something I could force him to do."

"That's thoughtless, Reg. You knew what it was doing to him and you'd let him throw his life away? Why?" Doctor Crusher sounded completely mystified. "Don't you want to help him?"

That was cruel. "It was an unauthorized experiments, but we were all told that he had the Federation's backing. We were never able to leave the grounds or communicate with the outside world, so no one ever found out what was going on. Escape attempts were made by a very few children, but it never ended well. Usually, it ended in death." Deirdre. Her bright eyes and fierce temper. "He couldn't keep the children once they officially became adults, it would be too conspicuous. So he let them go with just enough of the addictive drugs to keep them coming back. And they did. For a good long while, they kept coming back. Then someone, I don't know who, blew the whistle and the Federation came running. A bit too late." He didn't bother to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "The grand and all-knowing Federation couldn't have gotten a clue any sooner? They just took Mr. Goti at his word and let him do as he pleased." Reggie sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. "If I bring you the drugs, will you let Leon keep taking them?"

"Of course not." Doctor Crusher clenched her hands at her sides, as if she wanted very badly to find something to hit. "Why didn't you tell me you had them earlier?"

"You wouldn't let me give them to him even if I had them in my pocket." Seeing the look on horrified doctor Crusher's face, Reggie gave in. "Look at him. He's a vegetable. Leon wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life like that. He's such a vibrant person. To spend the rest of his life unmoving, unable to take care of himself, even unable to go to the bathroom...he'd hate that. He'd prefer to die. "

Doctor Crusher closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face, as if to calm herself. "I need specifics. What was he taking, exactly?"

"No idea."

"He took two pills everyday without knowing what they were?" Deanna's eyes got very wide.

"Well, not always pills. He preferred to use a hypospray, when he could, but they always arrived in pill form." Reggie nodded. "There were lots of different ones, that was the whole point, really. Everyone was on something different or different doses. It was all part of the experiment to see which medications worked best and how to improve them. He then passed them on to the Federation and took a great deal of credit for his genius."

"And you were one of the victims." Picard muttered.

"Yes." Reggie managed a smile and wondered at his own courage. "I thought I'd made that clear. Should I speak a little louder?"

"So, how will he be after the withdrawal is over?" The captain asked, looking back at Leon who still tossed and turned on the bed. "What are his chances of living through this?"

Reggie could only shrug, again. "I'm not sure, sir. They all had different affects. The ones I was given were some kind of personality altering and when I came down off them, it was sever depression and...and suicidal tendencies." Reggie couldn't look at either the Picard or Deanna when he said this. He knew all too well the looks of pity and horror, he didn't want to see them again. Doctor Crusher knew it already. She'd seen the scars he'd given himself. "I know others who died when the drug was taken away. There was a girl...Deirdre. When she died she was screaming until her heart exploded."

Doctor Crusher paled. "Her heart, it really exploded?"

"Yes. I believe it did." Reggie thought back and remembered hearing Deirdre's screams. It had seemed like she screamed for hours before the end finally came and death took her. "She'd pulled out most of her hair and tried to scratch off her own skin. I don't know what she was on, but several others had similar reactions. I was lucky, I guess." Then he looked back at Leon and wondered if his friend would live out the day. "Sir, I know this might sound odd, but is there any possibility of seeing that Leon can continue using the drug?"

He knew they were both looking at him with shock. "Lieutenant," Picard said sternly. "We can't allow anyone to be addicted to any drug, especially when it might cloud their judgment when on duty. This was a crime done to him as a child and I intend to see that he is cured."

"Better to live with this addiction than to die like this!" Reggie pointed furiously as Leon. "I told you, he doesn't want to be like this. If he could, he'd kill himself knowing that he'd spent the next sixty or so years like that!" Reggie knew he had almost no chance of convincing his captain, but tried anyway. "It's the drug, since he's started taking it, he can't focus. He can't distinguish between reality and his hallucinations."

"Wait, wait." Doctor Crusher interrupted. "Hallucination?"

"Leon has hallucinations. He thinks he sees things." Reggie hoped that when Leon woke up, if Leon woke up, that he wouldn't be angry for Reggie telling all his secrets. "It's strange, like he could see what was going on around, but he also saw other things, like superimposing an image over reality. I remember he kept looking for a person he called D. From what little Leon told me about his life before we met, he wasn't sure what was real. He could deal with it before Mr. Goti got a hold of him. Now, without the drug, he just kind of," Reggie looked back at Leon, still staring at the ceiling. "gets lost. He can't distinguish reality from his fantasy"

Doctor Crusher put a hand on Reggie's. "Go find the drug, Reg. Find it so I can bring him back."

Reggie looked back at Leon, mournfully. He didn't want Leon to die. That was paramount in his mind. Leon was the most important person in the world to him, he would do anything to keep Leon safe and happy. However, to live like this wasn't really living. Reggie knew he was right when he said that Leon would want this. If there was a chance, though...a chance that doctor Crusher could help...

"I'll go." Reggie stood up, reluctantly. "Please, don't let him die before I get back. I promised I wouldn't let him die alone." He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder at Picard. "In all honesty, you should have me locked up. I don't regret what I did and I'd do it again. You should also have me discharged from Starfleet. I'm just not reliable enough." Then he left, ignoring the guards following him.

Jean-Luc-

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Jean-Luc asked Beverly when Reggie had gone. He wasn't entirely heartless and seeing Reggie so deep in despair made him feel as if he should be doing something to help. Of course there was nothing he could do to help. That was much better left in the hands of Beverly and Deanna. Deanna was especially upset and looked as if she might actually cry.

"No, sir." Deanna said. "He never mentioned a word about it. I've failed him." She was clearly distraught and quickly changed the subject to the patient. "He's still conscious, Beverly. Right now he's very confused, but he's still in terrible pain. It's not as bad as it was when we first got him, but it's pretty bad. I don't think there's anything you can do for him, the pain's coming from his own mind."

"And you, Beverly?" Jean-Luc looked at his red haired friend. He hadn't missed how little she was shocked by Reggie's confession. She'd taken it all in very calmly and just asked him for the drugs. "What do you know?"

"Everything about Reg. I didn't know about ensign Barns. His first day here, Reg came to me and told me everything about his medical history. He has reason to fear for his health. He's suffered a lot because of those drugs." With her lips tight, she gave Leon some more pain medication. "Leon had good cause to be afraid. Of all the one hundred sixty two children that were found only about two dozen survived. It's very likely that ensign Barns will die, even if we reintroduced the drug into his system."

Jean-Luc clasped his hands behind his back. "There must be something you can do."

"If I can analyze the chemicals before he dies, then...maybe." Beverly scratched her head. "He's already had one stroke, though he was lucky and it was only a small one. His nervous system has taken quite the pounding and Deanna says his mind is in turmoil. The heart attack didn't help matters at all. I honestly don't know if I can do anything. Then again, he might just snap out of it. I really don't know." About a half an hour later Reggie walked back in, his hand clenched around something. Beverly told Jean-Luc, "It's going to be a waiting game."

Later-  
Leon-

The pain faded away and Leon focused on the clean, white ceiling. He took a deep breath and it felt like clearing out his whole body. His fingers tingled when he wiggled them, but his mind was clear and he remembered everything.

Reggie was sleeping with his head on his crossed arms on Leon's bed. Bed? It wasn't his bed, this sickbay. When had he gone to sickbay? Oh, well. Leon sat up and paused to let his head stop spinning. Then, when he was feeling less shaky, Leon slipped out of the bed. He almost fell, but a strong hand caught his arm and held him steady.

"D?"

"Hush." D smiled, tearfully, at Leon and kept his arms around Leon. "We do not want to wake your friend. He has had a very long day." D's eyes sparkled in the near darkness. "If you are still tired, you can lay down again."

"No." Leon leaned on D a little. "I want to go home."

"Then, let us go. I am glad you are back."

"Me, too."

No one noticed them as they left sickbay, which was odd because there were lots of people around. Several nurses and even doctor Crusher passed them on her way out. No one really looked at them, though. Leon thought this was increasingly odd until the door slid open and counselor Troi walked in. She definitely noticed them. More to the point, she noticed D and it wasn't the nice sort of 'noticing' most people did.

Counselor Troi's mouth dropped open and her hands trembled at her side. "Who...who are you?"

D frowned. "Go to sleep."

For a moment, Leon thought she would obey. Her eyes dropped and she swayed, but then she recovered herself looking all the more frightened. "You shouldn't be here." Her eyes darted to Leon. "He's sick."

"He's MINE!" D's arm tightened around Leon.

Whatever happened next, Leon wasn't really sure. He blinked and counselor Troi was suddenly face down on the floor and D looked pleased with himself. "We have to hurry now." D urged Leon onward, but not before he cast his eyes around sickbay and suddenly, quietly, everyone fell asleep right where they stood.

"Why did you do that?" Leon asked. "She's not really a bad person. Reggie lies her."

"She would have stopped us, my lion. I won't risk that now. Not when I finally have you. She is not injured, merely asleep. I had to force her asleep, a simple command would not work. I suppose that is because of her mixed blood."

Leon let it go at that. He knew D was telling the truth. D wouldn't lie to him.

Petshop-  
D-

Sitting together on the sofa made D feel more at peace than he had felt in a very long time. The smell of the unnatural chemical was almost entirely off of Leon's body. He still smelled not quite right and D could feel sickness still inside of Leon, but at least D knew Leon would live. The healing would be a long road, but D could already see the end. A few years, at most, if left to conventional means. That didn't mean that D wouldn't help it along.

D couldn't take his hands away from Leon. Though he tried not to paw at him overly much D's hand rarely left Leon's body and it wasn't just because he was pleased to find Leon, though that was a big part of it. With every touch, D caressed away a little of the sickness, driving it away easily. At this rate, Leon would be healed in just a very short while.

"I've been dreaming about you, D. I kept hearing your voice in dreams and they weren't dreams at all. They were memories. All these years I've been waiting for you and I didn't even know it. I thought you were just a dream and the meds destroyed all my memories." Leon's fingers weren't as rough as D remembered them. The callous' Leon had earned with his hard work as a detective were gone. D would have to get used to the sound touches. He'd been imagining Leon's coarse hands for years, but he could grow accustomed to this. It wasn't bad, just different. "Sorry it took me so long."

"Do you want me to answer your questions?" D offered. He would do what he had never done for Leon. He would frankly answer any question Leon put to him. There would be no more secrets.

"Later." Leon stroked the side of D's face and let his fingers trail down to D's high, stiff collar. "This is more important." He looked blissfully happy just looking at D. "I hated my life." Leon blurted out, unexpectedly. "When I was a kid, just a little brat, it was bad. I was always alone. I hated being alone and I never had a real home. There were...I could see animals as people. Was that the secret you were hiding from me all that time?" At D's guilty look, Leon chuckled. "It's all right. I knew when...er...when I died. I saw that damned goat boy and all your other animals turn into people. Or whatever they were." Leon's other hand reached up to touch D's hair. "All those dreams I used to have, I always thought...I always thought there might be something to it all. Like, maybe I wasn't crazy. Maybe, if I paid attention, it might start to mean something. I heard you in my dreams, but I never saw you. It was like you were hiding from me. I didn't understand."

D leaned towards Leon and pressed their lips together. Everything was perfect. If they could just stay like this and keep the rest of the universe away. D put his hands on Leon's face and hair, just as Leon was doing to D. "I understand. Your loneliness was like a gaping hole. An abyss inside of yourself which you could not escape from."

"I was missing a part of myself, however cliche that sounds. I was missing you." Leon trembled when D's fingers tickled their way down his throat and he felt the razor sharp nails on his collarbone. "I cried, when I was little. I cried, but I didn't know why. I can't even tell you how many times I woke up from nightmares I couldn't remember, crying like a baby. D, what happened after I was shot? I don't remember much. I closed my eyes and the pain was gone. I wasn't scared."

"Why should you be? Death is not something to fear. It simply...is." D smiled gently. "You did die, my lion. Chris was inconsolable and I had to put him into a deep sleep so he would not die before you were reborn. Your police department gave you a lovely funeral. Miss Jill tried to drink herself into oblivion at your loss. One of my dear pets was the phoenix and it chose to bring your soul back to me. She promised me that she would stay with you until we could be together again." D paused. He knew how selfish he'd been. Never mind that Leon had found whatever human paradise awaited the dead in the afterlife, he wanted Leon and, yes, he would deprive Leon of that paradise to quench his own grief. "Do you hate me for that? For wishing you back when you could have had your after life's paradise?"

"Without you, paradise would be Hell." Leon didn't know what else he could say to that. He didn't remember dying, but he felt guilty for it. There was so much starting to come back. He remembered how he felt when he saw D for the first time. Leon licked his lips. "D, I want..."

"Yes?"

"I want to stay with you. I won't ask forever, but...just tonight."

"Forever." Standing up with some regret because he had to part from Leon, D stepped towards the door that led to the rest of the petshop. "Please, if you wish, will you follow me?"

Leon-

Leon followed willingly. He didn't understand a lot of what was happening, but what he did understand was that he wasn't leaving. Not anymore. He'd lived a whole life without D and Leon didn't intend to do that again. He wouldn't be a coward again. He wouldn't cause D, Chris, or himself so much pain by being afraid of what might happen. All that mattered was that D made everything feel right.

"It was not all happiness with us, you know." D said softly as he showed Leon the way through the petshop. "Some of your memories are likely still foggy and I do not want you to be deceived. We had our...issues, as everyone does. We argued so much over the most foolish of things."

"Yeah." Leon did remember some of those silly yelling matches and how he had gloried every time he made D lose his composure. He used to love doing that. He'd do anything to see D get angry, just because he thought D looked cute like that. "But there were good times. Things I never want to forget. Things you showed me. It wasn't perfect, but it was close enough." Leon didn't say, but remembered nights he'd spent alone and the things he would do while thinking of D. He didn't say that D inspired all of his best dreams or that he'd had such dirty thoughts about D.

They came to D's bedroom, which Leon remembered, in a vague sort of way. He remembered seeing it in his childhood dreams and a few times in his memories of his other life. It was opulent and decorated with fine antiques. Leon didn't pay much attention to the décor as soon as D put his hands on the front of Leon's uniform. "Close the door, my lion. Tonight is for us." He pressed himself against Leon and Leon stiffened for a moment, a habit from his lifetime of not letting people get close to him. D didn't back away and Leon relaxed. D's hair smelled like lavender.

They sat on the edge of the bed together, both of them nervous and excited. It was a first for the both of them. Leon had never the interest or courage to let himself be with anyone so intimately. For a moment they just looked at each other, both of them knowing what they wanted and knowing the other wanted it, but having no idea how to start.

D put his hands up to his high collar and began to unfasten the frogs that held the two sides of his robe together.

"No." Leon said, suddenly. "Here. Let me." He reached out with shaking fingers and undid the little knots one by one until he had to get on his knees on the floor to undo the last of them. When he was done, D shrugged his robe off and was left in white, linen underclothes. Long, loose pants and a white shirt. D slipped the shirt off while Leon watched and was left in nothing but his trousers.

"Sit with me?" D took hold of Leon's arms and pulled him up.

Leon couldn't seem to take his eyes off D, but didn't know where to focus them. He was sure he'd never seen D so undressed before. The arms, the gentle curse of the collarbone. The color of his hair against his neck. Even in his dreams...or where they memories...D had always worn so much clothes. Leon began to undress himself while D watched.

When they were both undressed and Leon sat again, neither knew what to say. Nothing had to be said. D put his hand on Leon's shoulder and pulled him down onto the bed.

Leon and D lay together, side by side with a blanket covering them. Leon was sweaty and had a rather pleased look on his face and D looked a bit smug, himself. Leon stared up at the sheer fabric of the canopy of D's bed. He was cool and shivered slightly. It really happened. He'd just had mind-blowing sex with the most beautiful being in all of creation. He'd let D do things to him that he'd once been terrified to even think about. It had hurt, but Leon could live with it. He was sore, but very, very happy. There weren't words for what he felt.

Beside him, D lay with his eyes closed, laying on his side towards Leon. "Will you sleep here, tonight?" D whispered without opening his eyes.

"If it's okay with you." Leon brushed some hair away from D's ear. He loved that ear. The ear that always peeked out of D's hair.

"Silly question." D cuddled in closer to Leon and put his narrow arm over Leon's chest. "Forever, I said. I meant it."

Blissfully exhausted, they were both almost asleep when the bed shook and D yelped , his eyes going wide. Before Leon even had time to wonder what was going on thin little arms wrapped around his throat and squeezed tightly.

-Big brother!-

"Chris?" Leon pulled the little body away from him and he stared at the beaming Chris before drawing Chris back into his arms. Chris happily nuzzled into Leon. "Good to see ya, kid."

-I was afraid you wouldn't come back.- Chris crawled under the blankets between Leon and D, utterly blissful just to be with them. -You took so long, but it's all right. Everything's different now.- He looked at D. -Does he remember, yet?-

"Yes. Everything."

Tet-chan-

They were so happy together and Tet-chan backed away from the doorway. He'd meant to apologize to the Count for Chris' sudden interruption. At least he could be thankful that Chris hadn't tried to barge in any earlier. Instead, Tet-chan decided to save his apology for later. He couldn't bring himself to interrupt when the three of them looked so happy together.

"How surprisingly delicate of you, Tet."

"Leave it alone, Ten." Tet-chan closed the Count's door as quietly as he could and hoped that no one in the room would notice.

"He's right, though. You've changed, Tet."

Tet-chan turned around and faced his two companions. He should have known that they'd have followed him when Chris had run out of his bedroom as soon as Ten-chan had said that Leon was back. Leave it to Ten-chan to disrupt things. "Keep quiet, baby Pon."

"Hardly a baby, anymore." Ten-chan looked at Pon-chan appreciatively. She was as tall as he was, now. Her cute face had matured and she was inching closer to beautiful as she aged. Her figure wasn't as delicate as many of the pets, but she was developing lovely curves and her outfits only served to emphasize her best features. "Our little Pon's grown up before our eyes, Tet." He pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on and slipped his arms around Tet-chan's next, grinning. "I'm glad you're back. How's your chest?"

As if she were thinking the same thing, Pon-chan moved up close to them and slid her little hand between them, running her fingers over the scars on his chest. "Looks like it hurt. Was it bad out there? Is this new, modern world so terrible?"

Tet-chan winced when she touched the still healing wounds and Pon-chan quickly moved away, switching her hands to hold his arm. "Not awful, really. Humans are still nothing but humans. They're the same as they've always been, just with bigger toys to amuse themselves with. Not terrible." He gave a twitchy shake of his head, shaking his shaggy hair around his face. "I'll be healed in a few hours, not a scar or anything, the master tells me. It was bad before, now it just aches a little."

"I read a poem, once." Ten-chan said, suddenly with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. His gaze shifted to Pon-chan for a moment and something passed between them. "It rather reminded me of you, Tet." He laced his fingers together behind Tet-chan's neck and began to pull Tet-chan away from the Count's door. Pon-chan, too. She was pulling his arm, though a bit more gently than Ten-chan was pulling his neck.

TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT,  
WHAT IMMORTAL HAND OR EYE COULD FRAME THY FEARFUL SYMMETRY?

"I'm not a tiger." Tet-chan protested, looking back at the closed door. He should wait for Chris to come back and make sure he got some breakfast. It was morning already and Chris never ate properly unless...

Ten-chan kept reciting, his voice locked in a steady rhythm, without breaking his gaze from Tet-chan.

IN WHAT DISTANT DEEPS OR SKIES BURNT THE FIRE OF THINE EYES?  
ON WHAT WINGS DARE HE ASPIRE?  
WHAT THE HAND DARE SEIZE THE FIRE?

"But it fits you so well." Pon-chan said with twinkling eyes. "I can imagine you hunting in the forests of the night, your eyes burning with lust of the hunt." She ran her hand down his arm very slowly until she clasped his hand. "Who could have created such a creature as you? Terrible and tender, savage and compassionate."

Even while Pon-chan was speaking, Ten-chan went on with the poem.

AND WHAT SHOULDER AND WHAT ART COULD TWIST THE SINEWS OF THY HEART?  
AND WHEN THY HEART BEGAN TO BEAT,  
WHAT DREAD HAND AND WHAT DREAD FEET?

Tet-chan stopped walking, digging his claws into the floor, though he knew the Count would be angry later. "What's this all about?!" He demanded.

"What do you think?" Pon-chan leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You spend too much time serving others, Tet. Let's go play."

WHAT THE HAMMER? WHAT THE CHAIN?  
IN WHAT FURNACE WAS THY BRAIN?  
WHAT THE ANVIL? WHAT DREAD GRASP DARE ITS DEADLY TERRORS CLASP?

Tet-chan really looked at Pon-chan for the first time in a long time. She was taller than he was, but almost an inch. Ten-chan was right. She had grown up and he hadn't noticed. "I am proud to serve my master. I don't need your pity." Surely, that's what it must be. Did they pity him for giving up on D? Maybe they'd seen it in his eyes. Ten-chan must have, he was very insightful. After all this time, Tet-chan knew the Count would never love him as Tet-chan wanted to be loved. No, the Count had Leon for that. It wasn't just the Count, but Chris, too. The young human was very dear to Tet-chan. In some strange way, he reminded Tet-chan of his long dead sister. A certain innocence in his eyes, perhaps. Chris didn't need him now that Leon was back. They were a family and Tet-chan was just another pet.

WHEN THE STARS THREW DOWN THEIR SPEARS AND WATER'D HEAVEN WITH THEIR TEARS,  
DID HE SMILE HIS WORK TO SEE?  
DID HE WHO MADE THE LAMB MAKE THEE?

Tet-chan looked sharply at Ten-chan when his voice took on an aggressive edge. Stars? Spears? Heaven? What was this about a lamb?

TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT,  
WHAT IMMORTAL HAND OR EYE DARE FRAME THY FEARFUL SYMMETRY?

Ten-chan stopped and dipped his face close enough that Tet-chan could feel the kitsune's breath on his face. "You remind me of that poem, Tet. Fierce and wild. Who would dare to claim you?" His pink tongue darted out and licked Tet-chan's upper lip. "Let's go find someplace private, just the three of us."

Tet-chan's eyes widened. "Three of us?"

"Pon-chan's plenty old enough to be let in on the fun and they won't be coming out any time soon. No pity, Tet. It's just a little fun. Remember? We used to have fun together all the time. If there's any pity to be given, you should give it to poor Pon. She too afraid to even let Chris see her."

"All you have to do is wait, Pon-chan. You won't age much more and he'll grow up."

"Maybe." Pon-chan agreed. "But that will take years. In the meantime..."

Tet-chan didn't resist anymore. Certainly, Pon-chan was old enough to know her own mind and it seemed that they'd discussed this long before approaching him.

Sickbay-  
Reggie-

When Reggie woke up, he immediately started to panic. Leon's bed was empty and there wasn't anyone around except a nurse who was giving counselor Troi something for her headache. From what they said, it seemed that she'd fallen and hit her head, though no one knew why she'd fallen. Everyone was muttering something about having fallen asleep.

Reggie ran to doctor Crusher's office, but it was empty and one of the on duty nurses told him that doctor Crusher had taken the rest of the night off for some sleep. She would be in her quarters.

"Well, where's Leon Barns?" Reggie demanded. "He can't be well enough to get up!" Doctor Crusher had managed to get a little information from studying the pills Reggie had found tucked under the mattress of Leon's bed. It hadn't been enough information, though. She'd given Leon a few treatments to ease his pain and some other symptoms, but he shouldn't have been well enough to just get up and leave.

It seemed to surprise the on duty nurse, too, because when he glanced at Leon's empty bed, his left eye twitched and he slapped his badge. "Doctor Crusher, emergency!"

Reggie just couldn't wait to hear anymore. He turned and ran for the door. There were only three places that Leon would go and two of them wouldn't have been very good hiding places. Everyone knew, by now, that he and Leon were close friends. If Leon chose to hide himself in Reggie's quarters, then Reggie would be shocked. Leon was too smart to do something like that. He certainly wasn't going to hide in his own quarters. There was always the possibility that he was still confused and didn't know where he was going or what he was doing. If that was the case, then Leon could be anywhere. No. Reggie had the very definite feeling that Leon was with Count D. In that case, Count D might not know that there was anything wrong with Leon and that might be dangerous for both of them.

"Where do you think you're going, Mr. Barclay?"

Reggie skid to a halt and couldn't help but try to swallow the hard lump in his throat at the sight of Picard standing in the now open doorway. He steeled himself. He was no longer in Starfleet and Picard wasn't his superior. They'd have him court-marshaled for certain after all this. "I'm off to find Leon. He wandered off when I fell asleep and no one here noticed." He tried very hard not to throw a dirty look at the nurses, doctors, and security guards who'd let this happen. "I think I know where he is and I'm going to retrieve him."

At that moment two security guards stepped into the doorway behind captain Picard. Reggie should have known that he'd be guarded. They wouldn't move unless the captain ordered them to. "Tell me where ensign Barns has gone and we'll have him brought back."

"Oh, no." Reggie shook his head. "I don't even know what state of mind he's in right now. Seeing a bunch of security guards right now might put him over the edge! I'm going. I don't know why you try to stop me. I've freely admitted that I abandoned my post in the middle of an attack. Disobeyed orders. It's not like I'm going to fight you on the charges. I can't exactly run away, even on a ship of this size." When the captain looked doubtful, Reggie threw up his hands. "Come along, if you like and bring them with you." He gestured behind Picard to the guards. "I don't care, but I have to make sure Leon's safe."

The captain raised a calm eyebrow. "Is this really worth your career, Mr. Barclay?"

"Leon is worth much more than my career. In case you hadn't noticed, I never was very good at being an officer. He, on the other hand, is a very good friend." He snorted. "I don't even know why you're asking. It's not as if I'm necessary to your ship."

"Everyone is important."

Reggie didn't let Picard finish. "Did you even notice I was gone?"

Picard had the grace to look ashamed and Reggie knew the answer. Not a single person had noticed his absence. He really was worthless on this ship. Picard stepped aside. "Lead the way then."

Though Reggie was nearly running down the halls as soon as Picard let him, it took a moment for it to register. That had gone very easily. He was so amazed that he had almost missed Picard's next question. The captain was struggling to keep pace with Reggie's long legs, but Reggie wasn't in the mood to slow down. "Fish?" They'd questioned him about it before and Reggie hadn't given Mellow away. He would just keep to his story, at least until he could find her.

"Yes, fish." The captain pressed, impatiently. "I'd like to know if you had anything to do with it. Lieutenant LaForge assures me you have the ability to create such a thing, but counselor Troi insists that you wouldn't do such a thing, especially without asking permission. I'd like your say in this matter."

Mellow. This was a far more serious matter than just dereliction of duty. Taking over the ship in a battle? That was very, very bad. What would they do to Mellow if they found her? Would they destroy her or take her apart to study her? She wasn't just a computer program, she was something more. "Sorry. I've already told lieutenant Worf, I don't know anything about a fish. A virus that could not only take full control of a starship, but win a battle doing so. That suggests artificial intelligence. I might be good, but I'm not that good."

"More than suggests it." Picard agreed. "But I have to know where the virus came from. It's lurking on the ship. Most likely in your quarters and I..."

Reggie slowed his pace and stopped, almost causing the security guard behind him to collide with him. They'd just rounded a corner and there, stepping out of Count D's quarters was Leon with his arm around the Count. They were both smiling and Leon looked far from being confused. He was alert and even laughed. Leon looked back at the open door of Count D's quarters and held out a hand. A little blonde boy joined them, taking Leon's hand.

"Oh, thank God." Reggie muttered, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders and he stopped running. Leon looked better than okay. It was a miracle, but he looked almost completely healed. There was even a bit of color back in his face. Reggie was going to call out to Leon when the unimaginable happened.

A woeful moan filled the corridor, so loud that everyone looked for the source, the wall just next to Leon, the Count, and the little boy. Reggie met Leon's eyes and he saw the worry. It was no wonder, a noise like that just wasn't normal on the Enterprise. Leon looked nervous and gave the Count a shove towards Reggie and the captain. Reggie heard Leon tell the Count, "Go on. I don't like this." He managed to put the palm of his hand on the Count's back and the back of the little boy's head. He gave them both just the tiniest of pushes, enough to send them just a few steps ahead of him.

The moan turned into a high pitched wail. Then, the wall exploded. The force of the explosion pushed the Count and the little boy forward, sending the little boy off his feet entirely and pushing the Count to the floor in a heap.

Leon was directly in the path of the explosion and he fell instantly in the blaze of plasma. It lasted only for a moment, but when it was over, Leon didn't move.

D-

"No!" D cried out, rushing to Leon's fallen body. He wanted to touch Leon, to comfort him, but Leon was so badly burnt that D was afraid any touch from him would only hurt Leon. Still, he easily picked up Leon's head and cradled it on his lap. Leon's heart was faint and far too erratic. D pressed his hand against Leon's chest, but felt a too familiar feeling creeping closer. Death. "Do not leave me." Tears were falling down his cheeks freely. "Not again, I can not bear it."

Leon couldn't open his eyes and it was probably a good thing. His face was torn to ribbons, his skin discolored. "D..."

D sat there for a moment, his head lowered. "Leon?"

No answer.

"My lion? Please..."

Leon was still.

When he realized, when he fully understood, the Count threw his head back and let out a howl of grief and anger. Count D looked down at Leon, his eyes were filled with such terrible rage that even Reggie hesitated going to Leon. The Count tore apart Leon's shirt, slicing through the material with his lethal fingernails. Leon's chest was horrible, a mass of blistering burns and blood where bits of the wall had cut, piercing him. There was blood everywhere and Reggie swayed.

Just like Deirdre...blood everywhere.

Reggie slumped, sliding down the wall until he was sitting on the floor.

Chris was curled up in a ball with his arms around his knees and rocking back and forth while he cried.

Reggie couldn't move. He listened rather numbly when Picard snapped orders into his badge, but he watched the Count. There was something wrong. The Count's face was twisted in anger and hate. "No. I refuse to let you go again." The Count put his hands on Leon's chest and closed his eyes. He was breathing hard and leaned forward to put his weight on his hands. "Come back to me. I need you." The tears coursing down the Count's face were painful to watch, but it was hopeless. "I need you, you can not leave me!" Very suddenly, the Count slashed at his hands, ripping them open, and began rubbing his bloody hands over Leon's chest. "It must work. It must." Feverishly, he covered Leon in his own blood, though what he was thinking, Leon didn't know. Perhaps he thought his blood could revive Leon.

Leon didn't react at all and it was obvious that he was dead. Reggie pressed the palms of his hands against his face to stop anyone from seeing his grief. How could it end like this? It wasn't fair. Leon had suffered so much in his life. Why did this have to happen just when things were starting to look up? Leon had snapped out of it on his own, against all hope. He'd found the love of his life and he was happier than Reggie had ever seen him. He couldn't just die.

"Please," Picard moved to the Count's side and attempted to put a hand on his shoulder. "I've called for a doctor, but..."

Count D raised his face to Picard's and gave him a hateful look. "This is your fault!"

Ten Forward-  
Guinan-

Guinan glared at Q, suspiciously. "Was that your doing?"

"Why would I waste my time?"

"You didn't like him being here anymore than I did. Did you kill that poor human just...."

"Just to spite the Earth Kami?" Q asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you knew me better. I wouldn't waste my time or power on something so petty. That man was just one human. He was unimportant and I was perfectly happy to let them all leave. No, that was...just an accident. Something was damaged during the battle. The ship's crew just hadn't gotten around to repairing it, yet." There was a strange sincerity in Q's voice. It was almost as if he regretted what had happened. Almost.

It was then that Guinan and Q felt the surge of power. It was so terrible that it left Guinan's lips numb and her whole body tingling. "Oh, no..."

Even Q looked worried and that wasn't a look Guinan often saw on his face. "This isn't good."

Reggie-

Picard was taken aback by the sound of the Count's voice, it just wasn't human. Not even remotely human. The Count's voice echoed strangely, vibrating and shaking anyone who heard it to the core. His golden eyes was glowing, but the purple eye was like a dark pit and it was terrifying to behold. Picard stepped away from the Count, wisely afraid yet holding onto his dignity by not running away and keeping his eyes on the Count.

"This is your fault. You killed my Leon." The Count pulled his hands away from Leon and Reggie saw that his fair hands were dripping with blood. His lips were curled back away from his teeth, bared like an animal's.

"It was an accident." Picard tried to say.

"Accident?!" The Count screeched, he put his hands to the sides of his head, leaving bloody hand prints on each side of his head. "You killed him!"

Picard grabbed his chest and gasped in pain.

Reggie felt like there was fire boiling in his veins, the fire spilling into his heart and brain. There were cries behind him and Reggie understood that the same thing was happening to the guards.

The Count bit at his words, spitting them out as if they tasted foul. "I will destroy this ship and all life on it. You will pay for Leon's death. The most precious of all creatures...he was mine. He was all I wanted. You will all die and I will make you suffer."

Picard managed to protest, though Reggie didn't know how he found the strength. "You can't..."

"You dare forbid me?!" It only enraged the Count more. "Arrogant, destructive humans. I should have listened to papa and let you all die. What was I thinking? You kill and kill and kill and now you've taken him away." There was a fresh surge of pain and Reggie was sure he would black out. Even Picard was now on the floor, his eyes rolling from the pain. "Die," The Count shrieked. "You'll all die!"

The little blonde boy was staring at the Count in horror with tears still in his eyes. However, he didn't seem to feel any pain at all. The child reached out his hand to the Count, but recoiled, as if burned.

Q was there, then, and he seized the child by the back of the neck. "If you break my toys, I'll break yours." He wasn't afraid and when he spoke, he gripped the boy's throat harder.

The Count turned on him in all his anger, but it didn't impress Q, though he did seem cautious. "Release my child."

Q sniffed. "Your child? Funny. I could swear he's human."

"Let him go!"

"Or what?" Q mockingly moved the little boy in front of him and shifted his hands to the boy's shoulders. "Do you think you have the power to battle me in my own territory? You know my power is greater than yours, especially here." Q's expression hardened. "You release your hold on the humans of this ship. I warned you not to touch my pets. Up until now I've been a gracious host, but I won't suffer this! You let them go!"

The Count's hands were like claws and he looked as if he wanted to attack. "They deserve punishment."

"You will stop or I will send this child into the Void and he will die. You will not be able to rescue him and I'll make you watch him die. You know I'm not joking. I don't claim him as mine, so I really don't care what happens to him. One by one, I will take your darling pets and I'll send them into the Void. You might not care about the rest of them, but will you let this child go?" Q gave the boy a little shake and the boy started crying again.

"You have all of the Void, you don't need these people."

"I want them and that's enough. I won't say it again. Calm yourself down and release the humans!"

It seemed like forever until the pain began to recede and Reggie was able to breathe properly again. He saw Picard start to pick himself up, but pause when he realized Q was with them and paying no attention to anyone but Count D.

Q didn't appear to notice Picard, either, but kept speaking to the Count. "You know what will happen if you take this ship from me. Will you start a war? I will destroy you if you hurt my pets. Then your kind will come against me and my kind. Sides will be chosen. How many worlds will pay for that one's death?" He pointed to Leon's corpse. "Was your human so cruel that he would want countless beings to die for his memory?"

Count D lowered his hands all together and the pain vanished as if it had never been.

"Good." Q gave the boy a push, propelling him into the Count's arms where the Count engulfed him in the billowing folds of his robe, protectively. All the while he glared at Q. "I expect you off my ship." Q said. "Gather your things and leave. I won't have you back on this ship." Q glanced at the small audience for the first time and waved a hand, negligently. "Forget."

The Count staring at the empty corridor and Reggie had the feeling that he'd just forgotten something important. Why was the Count standing? Hadn't he just been kneeling at Leon's side, crying? Why was Picard on the floor?

The Count ignored everything, but turned back to Leon's body. He broke down, falling to his knees he wailed, his heart torn away from him. Count D sobbed wildly, his hands clutching at Leon as he pressed his forehead against Leon's.

Reggie felt sick. He didn't want to watch this, it was too personal. Reggie had the feeling that he had looked that way when Deirdre had died.

Picard moved to reach for the Count, but Reggie grabbed his arm and pulled him back, shaking his head. Best to let the Count and the child alone for a while. The heartbreak was too fresh to be interfered with. Thankfully, Picard accepted Reggie's unspoken plea and backed off. Picard went back to the guards and, though Reggie was sure Picard was doing something important, he really couldn't care. Instead, Reggie stayed where he was and watched the little family mourn. He cried for Leon, out of pain, but deprived of a happy future. Reggie also cried for himself.

Now, he really was truly alone.

Epilogue-

Not two days later, orbiting Earth, Reggie sat in the living room of Count D's quarters with a single tattered suitcase on the floor between their feet. Reggie had finished his own packing earlier and they would leave for Earth at the same time, on the same shuttlecraft. There would be a formal court marshal, though Picard had said he would speak for Reggie in court. The sentence would be light, if there was any sentence at all. Reggie had been looking for his friend and was out of his mind with worry. Temporary insanity would be an honest plea.

"I'll return Mellow, if you like." Reggie offered, reluctantly. He couldn't help but feel that the Count needed all the support he could find and Mellow was such an understanding woman. Woman? Well...sort of. Reggie had begun to think of her as a woman in the last couple of days. "The rest of the crew was never able to track her, so she's safe. I've repaired all the damage done to her."

"No." The Count said, quietly. "Please, keep her. She will be happy to stay with you. I think Mellow will be able to help you and she will be far happier with you than she would be confined to my ancient little computer." He had been very quiet ever since Leon's death, though that wasn't surprising. He still smiled, but the smile was fake. "Besides, I will not be able to repair her if she is hurt again."

"Thank you." Reggie had grown very fond of Mellow. She was ready to go to Earth with him and Reggie was happy to have her. "What will you do now?" Reggie asked the Count. He was no longer dressed in the Starfleet uniform, but in civilian clothes. It felt like such a long time since he'd worn normal clothes that Reggie felt a little awkward. He also felt strangely liberated.

D didn't spare Reggie a glance. "I will find my younger brother. I have not seen him in a very long while. It will be good for Chris to be on Earth again. I do not like him being in such a dangerous place as this." He sounded much cooler than the last time Reggie had met him. He still smiled, but it was a stiff smile, like a mask. "I want to thank you again for all that you have mean to Leon. He cared for you a great deal."

"That's not what I mean."

"You speak of my lion. What will I do, now that he's gone? I will wait for him."

"But, he died." Reggie was ready to pity the Count. It seemed so obvious that the Count's grief had driven him to believe that Leon could return from the dead. Seeing the Count so strong in the face of what he'd lost, pity seemed entirely inappropriate.

"Yet, he may return. I am prepared to wait for eternity. Love is eternal, I have heard said. How long love will last is up to those involved. I chose eternity. He is worth eternity, you see. Time is such a trivial matter. I can wait. I am taking his body to Earth. He will want to be buried on Earth. You are invited to his memorial, naturally. He would have wish it."

"What about Chris? Will he be all right?" Reggie still didn't entirely understand the little boy's relationship to Leon, though they looked incredibly alike. It was impossible that Leon was his father, Leon would have been locked in the Home when Chris was born. All Reggie knew for certain was that the Count was Chris' guardian and that Chris had cried just as bitterly as the Count had when Leon had died.

"Chris will stay with me until he grows up." D looked to where Chris sat on a Starfleet issued couch, looking out despondently at the stars. "I worry for him; this will be a hard time. He must live, this time." Now what did that mean? "Leon would wish it. There are things on Earth that I wish to take care of."

Reggie shivered at the Count's sweet smile combined with his menacing tone. He wondered what sort of business the Count had to take care of.  
The remains of doctor Brannon Goti were found shortly after the USS Enterprise returned to Earth, torn to shreds. There was very little left of the man, save some clothes and bits of bone. No conclusive evidence was ever found to prove what, exactly, had killed doctor Goti. Some theorize that it was a large predator and that the predator had eaten doctor Goti. Others, however, argue that any creature large enough to do that kind of damage wouldn't have been able to so quietly get into doctor Goti's office without being seen.

In unrelated news, Reginald Barclay, a former Starfleet lieutenant engineer, was seen roaring drunk, dancing naked in the streets of San Francisco, California while singing, "Ding dong, the witch is dead."

The end

THE TIGER is a poem by William Blake, a favorite of mine. 


End file.
